Canadian military flies the flag in frozen north as struggle for the Arctic heats up
Canadian military flies the flag in frozen north as struggle for the Arctic heats up
Operation Nanook, carried out in conjunction with allies, aims to ‘project force’ in a region attracting growing interest from Russia and China
Summary
Canada's Operation Nanook (Feb-Mar 2025) deployed 650 personnel above the Arctic Circle to assert sovereignty in the increasingly contested frozen north.
The operation comes as Russia and China show growing interest in the region's newly accessible shipping lanes and vast mineral resources due to climate change.
Recent developments include Canada's $8.6M purchase of a strategic hangar after Chinese and Russian interest, and a promised $2.5B investment in northern military hubs.
The exercise revealed logistical challenges and infrastructure needs as Defense Minister Bill Blair warned that "climate change is enticing adversarial nations to engage in heightened competition" in this strategic territory.
