Tactical Arctic Insertion First Of Its Kind by U.S. Army Capt. Mikel Arcovitch
Joint Force Headquarters - Vermont National Guard Public Affairs
March 20, 2023
Thirty-seven U.S. and Canadian Soldiers
were tactically inserted by way of an LC-130 Hercules on Arctic
Ocean ice just east of Little Cornwallis Island in Nunavut, Canada,
during exercise Guerrier Nordique 23 on March 15, 2023.
The
multi-country and joint effort is the first ever platoon movement of
its kind.
U.S. Army and Canadian Soldiers
disembark an LC-130 Hercules skiplane of the 109th Airlift
Wing, New York Air National Guard to practice and conduct
tactical insertion after the aircraft landed on frozen oceanic Arctic ice near Cornwallis Island, Nunavut, Canada
on March 15, 2023. (Image created by USA Patriotism! from U.S. Army photo by Capt. Mikel Arcovitch,
Vermont NG PA.)
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The New York Air National Guard's 109th
Airlift Wing is the only ski equipped tactical C-130 with flying
missions focusing on snow and ice landings, which is made possible
by multi-capable Airmen trained to build and groom those runways.
The LC-130H is equipped with 4 by 20 foot skis that make landing
possible on specially built skiways and ski landing areas.
"We've been flying missions in Greenland and Antarctica for over 30
years, and this is the first time we've ever conducted a tactical
insertion with Canadian reserve Soldiers," said Lt. Col. Matthew
Sala, officer-in-charge of the 109th Airlift Wing's Polar Camp
Skiway Team and Ski Landing Area Control Officers. "This is just the
starting point for us to build from. We hope to expand our capacity
and have more training missions like we had here with Guerrier
Nordique. This exercise demonstrated the LC-130s full capability to
infill and exfil tactical forces providing Arctic agile combat
employment while also incorporating valuable training to our
Multi-Capable Airman," said Sala.
Soldiers and Airman loaded
the LC-130 at the Canadian Armed Forces Arctic Training Center in
Resolute Bay. They were flown northwest to a location just east of
Little Cornwallis Island. Airmen from the 109th had groomed a ski
landing area on the Arctic ice, which is where the aircraft landed.
The location was previously secured by a small section of U.S.
Soldiers, Canadian Rangers, and a Canadian Pathfinder.
After
landing, Soldiers disembarked and set a security perimeter 100
meters from the landing zone. Dressed in overwhite camouflage,
Soldiers established their security positions. Soldiers were
equipped with individual weapons, machine guns, and everything they
needed to sustain themselves for up to three days in the Arctic.
U.S. Army and Canadian Soldiers observe and secure the insertion area after disembarking an LC-130 Hercules skiplane of the 109th Airlift Wing, New York Air National Guard, on frozen oceanic Arctic ice near Cornwallis Island, Nunavut, Canada, March 15, 2023. U.S. and Canadian Soldiers and U.S. Airmen participated in Guerrier Nordique 23 from March 6 to March 20, 2023 for preparation and experience with operating tactically in the high Arctic. (Image
created by USA Patriotism! from U.S. Army photos by Capt. Mikel Arcovitch,
Vermont NG PA.)
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"This is only the beginning," said Canadian Army Lt. Col. Andre
Morin, land component commander for Guerrier Nordique. "The
partnership between the Canadians and Americans is invaluable. I
would like to see this exercise grow from here and make it bigger
and better. We have now confirmed that we have the ability to
deliver Soldiers in a very difficult environment. Eventually, in the
future, I hope to have a Canadian battalion and a company from the
United States."
Guerrier Nordique is a cold-weather training
exercise for the Canadian Army that takes place in a different
location each year. Resolute Bay is one of the few places that is
located above the 60th parallel or the Arctic Circle. The Vermont
National Guard has participated each year since 2012 and hopes to
continue well into the future.
"This is my sixth time
participating in Guerrier Nordique and it's gotten bigger and better
each year," said U.S. Army Maj. Matt Hefner, officer-in-charge for
the U.S. Soldiers during Guerrier Nordique. "This year the 105th and
109th Airlift Wings took part in the exercise and we certainly hope
they continue in this multi-national and now joint training. The sky
is truly the limit."
Most of the U.S. Soldiers delivered came
from the National Guard; Vermont, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and
Utah were all represented. The 11th Airborne Division out of
Fairbanks, Alaska, also sent two Soldiers. Canadian Soldiers taking
part in the exercise are also mostly reservists from the 35th
Canadian Brigade Group based in Eastern Quebec. Canada also sent
Soldiers from the 34th Canadian Brigade Group, 4th Health Services
Group, and from the Canadian Rangers. In total, 235 Soldiers and
Airmen participated in Guerrier Nordique.
"Almost every
single Soldier and Airman here are from the National Guard or a
reservist in the Canadian Army," said Hefner. "Organizing and
executing this task has been a challenge, but seeing the Air
National Guard, Army National Guard, and Canadian Army Reserve work
together to execute this exercise has been an awesome experience.
The Hercules landing and those Soldiers coming out in close to 50
below was awesome."
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