NATO Concludes Cold Response 26, Its First Arctic Sentry Drill in the High North

Overview

• Running March 9–19 across Norway and Finland, the drills involved about 32,500 troops from 14 Allies to sharpen readiness and interoperability.
• The maritime element, Dynamic Mariner, saw SNMG1 led by Spain conduct high-intensity air, surface and subsurface warfare training in icy waters and narrow fjords.
• Several warships canceled or were retasked to the Eastern Mediterranean following drone and missile attacks on Cyprus and Turkey, including the French carrier group, Dutch frigate Evertsen and Italy’s Andrea Doria.
• Russia flew surveillance missions near Finnmark during the drills, with Norwegian fighters scrambling to identify aircraft in international airspace described as routine.
• NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited Norway and praised its specialized Arctic capabilities, while the U.S. contributed roughly 3,000 Marines plus air, logistics and special operations units without deploying ships.