U.S. and Canadian forces completed a live maritime strike scenario in the Bering Sea under Operation TUNDRA MERLIN on Sept. 24, demonstrating allied Arctic deterrence capability, U.S. Northern Command announced.
The exercise built on a Sept. 18 announcement that such rehearsals were planned, marking the transition from planning to execution. The Bering Sea exercise underscores deepening Arctic defense cooperation between the United States and Canada, according to NORTHCOM.
The live maritime strike scenario reflects growing concern about Russian military activity in the Arctic region. Russia has expanded its northern military infrastructure, reopened Cold War-era bases and increased naval and air patrols along its Arctic coastline in recent years.
Operation TUNDRA MERLIN represents the type of joint U.S.-Canada exercise designed to ensure both nations can defend their northern approaches and protect critical maritime passages in the Arctic.
The Bering Sea, which separates Alaska from Russia’s Far East, is one of the most strategically sensitive maritime zones in the world. The narrow Bering Strait connecting it to the Arctic Ocean has gained importance as melting sea ice opens new shipping routes and resource exploration opportunities.
U.S. Northern Command is responsible for the defense of the continental United States, Canada and Alaska. The command has increased its focus on Arctic operations in recent years as the region has grown in strategic importance.
The Canadian Joint Operations Command participated in the exercise as part of the longstanding North American Aerospace Defense Command partnership, which coordinates the two nations’ air and maritime defense.