Op NA-NU 26 puts focus on Canada’s Arctic sovereignty

Op NA‑NU 26 takes place across all three northern territories—the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon—with activities in Yellowknife, Behchokǫ̀ and Inuvik, N.W.T.; Cambridge Bay, Nunavut; and Whitehorse, Yukon, along with a Long Range Patrol. Overall, the operation will be primarily centred on the Amundsen Gulf region of Nunavut near Cambridge Bay.

Op NA‑NU 26 is a subordinate operation under the wider Op NANOOK umbrella, and is a multidisciplinary, pan‑domain operation that contributes to Arctic awareness. Op NANOOK is a series of annual events that include members of the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Air Force and Royal Canadian Navy, along with the Canadian Rangers. The operation is aimed at asserting sovereignty across Canada’s Arctic archipelago through projecting forces and integrating northern partners in a series of presence and surveillance activities.

Op NANOOK includes several other operations within its domain, including TAKUNIQ, NUNAKPUT, TUUGAALIK and TATIGIIT, all of which have their own specific intended mission outcomes.

During Op NA‑NU 26, which takes place from Feb. 14 to April 15, CAF personnel are working with both domestic and international partners. Road moves began approximately one week prior to the start of the operation to position personnel and equipment in the area. Troops are conducting a series of joint activities that will enhance Canada’s Arctic defence capabilities and improve interoperability in extreme northern conditions.

The missions feature patrols, demonstrations and testing under harsh environmental conditions, all while remaining engaged with the local Indigenous communities and governments in the region.

Of particular note is the inclusion of the M777 155‑millimetre howitzers. The two pieces of artillery were taken by land and air from Canadian Forces Base Shilo to Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, where they will be tested and fired. Canadian military records indicate this will be the first time the M777 has been north of the 60th parallel, and represents the furthest north any Canadian 155‑mm artillery system will have been fired, as Cambridge Bay lies north of the Arctic Circle at 69°N.

Over the course of the nine weeks Op NA‑NU 26 runs, as well as during Op NANOOK’s subordinate operations, CAF personnel will be tasked with supporting several high‑level strategic aims, chief among them operating on a near‑persistent basis to detect, deter and defend against threats to Canada and North America and their approaches through the Arctic. Op NA‑NU 26 also serves to strengthen defence alliances and partnerships, including NATO, North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) and the FVEY nations – better known as the Five Eyes, a security partnership between Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

The involvement of 38 CBG and 41 CBG represents one of the largest contributions from the ARes in Op NA‑NU in recent years. With the Canadian Army realigning in the coming months, ARes formations will fall under the new Defence of Canada Division. Once that transition takes effect, ARes formations will take over as the primary contributors to domestic operations.

The 1 CRPG contingent’s contribution to Op NA‑NU 26 is a 4,500‑kilometre LRP from the Yukon‑Alaska border to Churchill, Man. The LRP will follow the southern shore of the Northwest Passage and the western shore of Hudson Bay, passing through or near the communities of Tuktoyaktuk and Paulatuk in the Northwest Territories, and Cambridge Bay, Gjoa Haven and Rankin Inlet in Nunavut. During the LRP, the Canadian Rangers will pass by several North Warning Sites along the patrol route.

The LRP will take place in co‑operation with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Parks Canada. This interagency effort brings together defence, public safety and conservation, making it a significant show of Canadian Arctic sovereignty.

Canada’s Arctic defence priorities are outlined in the government’s Arctic and Northern Policy Framework, Our North Strong and Free: A Renewed Vision for Canada’s Defence, Canada’s Arctic Foreign Policy, and support the overall goal of ensuring the Canadian Arctic and its northern people are safe, secure and well‑defended. These priorities include strengthening Canada’s co‑operation with allies and partners, enhancing the CAF presence in the North, and increasing domain awareness and surveillance in key strategic locations such as along the Northwest Passage.

The CAF plays a key role in safeguarding Canada’s sovereignty by defending the North and its approaches against new and accelerating threats, including climate change, strategic competition and rapidly evolving technology. The Arctic's strategic importance is rapidly increasing as international norms are being challenged or undermined in significant and subtle ways by states seeking to redefine the international order or advance their interests at the expense of others, including unilateral claims challenging Canadian sovereignty.