Image: RAF
A Royal Air Force C-17A Globemaster has landed at Canadian Forces Station Alert, 1,100 miles inside the Arctic Circle, joining the Royal Canadian Air Force on its critical twice-yearly resupply mission to the most northerly permanently inhabited settlement on Earth.
The mission, conducted under Exercise Polar Puma as part of Operation Boxtop, marks the first time the RAF has participated in the resupply of CFS Alert. Operating from Pituffik Space Force Base in Greenland, crews from 99 Squadron at RAF Brize Norton flew eight sorties to the station, delivering approximately 300,000 litres of fuel.
A Station That Cannot Be Reached by Sea
Sitting at 82.5 degrees North, CFS Alert supports NATO as a signals intelligence base and hosts an important climate research facility. The surrounding Arctic ice sheet thaws for just 30 days a year, and even then the shallow waters prevent resupply vessels from reaching the station. Air delivery is the only viable option.
Landing at Alert presents significant challenges. Crews must touch down on a semi-prepared runway of compacted snow and gravel less than half the length of a standard airstrip, with Arctic weather capable of deteriorating rapidly.
99 Squadron Leads the UK’s Arctic Debut
99 Squadron pilot Flight Lieutenant Mike Chandler commented: “Flying into the High Arctic is demanding, especially when the weather can change on a dime, but that’s exactly why this activity is so important. Working with our Canadian colleagues has shown just how closely our air forces operate together. The C-17 performs superbly in these conditions, and it’s a real privilege to contribute to a mission that is so vital to sustaining operations at Alert.”
Beyond fuel delivery, the exercise drove deep integration between the RAF and RCAF across operations, logistics, and engineering. Crews flew mixed-nationality sorties aboard each other’s aircraft, a level of interoperability rarely seen since the Second World War.
Strategic Significance in a Contested Region
Air Commodore James, Commander Air Mobility Force, said: “This is a powerful demonstration of the RAF’s reach, readiness, and capability. Operating thousands of miles from the UK, in extreme cold and with limited infrastructure, proves that we can generate operational air mobility wherever it is needed. Our partnership with Canada is strong; we are committed to working alongside one of our closest allies on security and stability in the High North.”
The C-17 has served as the RAF’s primary strategic airlifter for 25 years, operating across Afghanistan, Iraq, and numerous humanitarian missions. Exercise Polar Puma adds frozen-runway Arctic operations to that record, as 99 Squadron leads the development of the UK’s aerial capabilities in the High North.
Arctic sovereignty and resource access have drawn growing international attention in recent years, raising the strategic value of CFS Alert and the NATO infrastructure it supports. Through operations such as Boxtop, the RAF is building the cold-weather expertise and allied relationships required to project air power into the region, according to the Royal Air Force.
Source: RAF News Article
