Cold Response 26: US Air Force & Allies Enhance Arctic Defense

BARDUFOSS AIR STATION, Norway – A large-scale multinational military exercise, Cold Response 26, concluded on March 19, 2026, with U.S. Air Force personnel participating alongside allies from over a dozen NATO nations. The Norwegian-led exercise, which began March 9th, focused on bolstering collective defense capabilities and reinforcing deterrence in the Arctic region.

More than 32,500 military and civilian personnel took part in the drills, with 25,000 stationed in Norway and 7,500 in Finland, according to the Norwegian Armed Forces. The exercise encompassed operations across land, sea, and air, testing the interoperability of forces in challenging Arctic conditions. Fourteen nations participated, including Norway, the United States, Finland, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Canada, Spain, Türkiye, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, and NATO.

U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning IIs from the 48th Fighter Wing, based at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom and operating out of Ørland Air Force Station, Norway, flew integrated missions with Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35s. These flights included complex night operations designed to strengthen combined combat capabilities. The air combat picture was further enhanced by the inclusion of Finnish Air Force F/A-18 Hornets and Swedish Air Force JAS 39 Gripens, demonstrating a broader multinational integration, according to official statements.

Aerial refueling played a critical role in sustaining the extended air operations. KC-135 Stratotankers from the 100th Air Refueling Wing, stationed at RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom, provided refueling support to both U.S. And allied aircraft. “Air-to-air refueling is an inherently a dangerous job because you’re flying two or more airplanes extremely, very close together in proximity, so it takes a lot of preplanning, mission planning and coordination prior to, and fine communication with our NATO allies and partners,” said Capt. Jeff Chae, a KC-135 pilot with the 100th ARW.

HC-130J Combat King II aircraft from the 23rd Wing, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, also participated in aerial refueling operations, specifically with Swedish Air Force JAS 39 Gripens. In addition to refueling, HC-130J crews supported combat search and rescue missions alongside Airmen from the 56th and 57th Rescue Squadrons, Aviano Air Base, Italy, working with Swedish Air Force Rangers to practice personnel recovery in austere Arctic environments. Using HH-60W Jolly Green IIs, the combined team conducted hoist, rappelling, and simulated recovery missions.

Maintainers across all participating units worked in freezing temperatures, high winds, rain, and snow to ensure aircraft remained mission-capable. Their efforts were essential to enabling aircrews and rescue crews to execute complex missions despite the harsh conditions.

Exercise Cold Response 26 is the first major exercise conducted under NATO’s modern enhanced Vigilance Activity (eVA), known as Arctic Sentry, according to Allied Air Command. The exercise is led by a Norwegian-US headquarters established at Reitan, near Bodø.

“By exercising in Cold Response, the ability to execute missions rapidly and flexibly is one of the byproducts of this,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Dustin Merritt, 493rd Fighter Squadron commander. “It sends a message that we’re ready as part of NATO to deter and defend whatever we need to when the time arises.”