Air Commandos and other special operations elements are training in the High North for a potential future conflict with Russia.
Air Commandos from the 352nd Special Operations Wing (352 SOW) are participating in Exercise Northern Viking 2026.
The exercise is a multinational training event involving U.S. and NATO forces with the ultimate goal of honing the necessary combat skills to prevail in operations in the strategic High North. The exercise is primarily taking place in Iceland.
“Our objectives are the same as NATO objectives: to increase interoperability with our Allies and partners and to deter and defend against potential adversaries in the High North,” the 352 SOW mission commander, whose identity remained classified for operational security purposes, stated in a press release.
The High North spans several counties and territories in the Arctic including Iceland, Greenland, and parts of Russia, Norway, Canada, and the United States.
“We are specifically exploring opportunities to employ emerging SOF-peculiar technologies, enabling long-range logistical sustainment of the Allied and Joint Force. Basically, we’ll be employing non-standard airdrop platforms to deliver logistical and medical supplies to far-forward troops,” the 352 SOW mission commander added.
Although the training event is testing a variety of special operations skill sets, the Air Commandos are focusing particularly on glider operations to resupply units in semi- or non-permissive environments.
“We specifically want to train in long-range resupply in contested environments and intend to airdrop a powered glider to a detachment of fellow U.S. servicemembers,” the 352 SOW mission commander stated.
“This glider will be filled with supplies and airdropped to the servicemembers on the ground validating our capability to deliver critical supplies to SOF teams operating far beyond friendly supply lines,” the Air Commando added.
Developed in earnest during the World War II, glider operations are part of airborne missions.
For example, during Operation Market Garden, the deadliest airborne operation of the war – if not of history – in addition to hundreds of airborne drops, paratroopers landed on the landing zones with glider aircraft that were towed by the transports. Where gliders truly shone was in their ability to carry not just paratroopers but light artillery weapons, heavily armed jeeps, and ammunition as well.
Today, the U.S. special operations community is developing glider capabilities that can resupply units on the ground. Advances in artificial intelligence and autonomous systems mean that gliders do not necessarily require direct human interaction.
Joint training missions like Exercise Northern Viking are an important event in the calendar of a conventional or special operations unit.
Related: NATO to increase its Arctic presence in response to Russian activity
The old adage that states “the more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in war” is as true as ever. The U.S. military has been able to maintain sustained and effective strikes against Iran, for example, at the cost of relatively few casualties thanks to the training that the units received before active operations began.
“This exercise gives us a unique opportunity to practice like we expect to play, where we expect to play, and alongside the partners we will play with,” the 352 SOW mission commander stated.
Thanks to Exercise Northern Viking, the Air Commandos and other special operations elements involved will be better able to engage in cold-weather operations in the European theater. As tensions with Russia remain high, even after more than five year than the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion, fighting in the High North is all the more relevant.
The region is one of the most important in the world. Rich in natural resources and bordered by the world’s major powers, the High North is becoming increasingly important as the icecaps melt opening up new waterways and making passage for vessels easier.
Feature Image: A U.S. Air Force MC-130J Commando II from the 352d Special Operations Wing flies above Iceland Aug. 23, 2026, during Exercise Northern Viking 26. NV26 aims to strengthen interoperability and forge readiness between Iceland and participating NATO Allies. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Sutton)
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