4 Nov 2025

Airfield Assessments to Identify Improvements in Support of Arctic Military Operations: Arctic Airfields Assessment

Abstract: This report examines current airfield capabilities in Alaska and Greenland as they pertain to the strategic priorities of the Northern Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and US Northern Command (NORTHCOM) in support of needs identified in the 2024 DoD’s Arctic Strategy. With increasing activity and competition in the circumpolar region, airfields in Alaska and Greenland play a vital role in enabling homeland defense, supporting domain awareness needs, and enabling rapid response operations. This report highlights key airfields across Alaska and Greenland, focusing on their current readiness to support NORAD-assigned airframes such as the C-17, C-130, F-15, F-16, F-22, F-35A, KC-10, KC-135 and KC-46A. It assesses currently available infrastructure, operational resilience, airfield suitability and current condition, weather considerations, and logistics sustainment. Gaps in infrastructure readiness and logistical necessities for different airframes are identified. Recommendations are provided to bolster airfield operational capabilities as they pertain to the NORAD mission, and to ensure Arctic basing remains a credible enabler of NORTHCOM’s mission to defend the US and deter threats across the circumpolar region.