Germany weighs deploying Eurofighters, naval vessels to Greenland in NATO Arctic security push

Germany is considering sending Eurofighter jets, reconnaissance aircraft, and naval vessels to Greenland for NATO exercises aimed at strengthening Arctic security, Germany’s defence ministry has said.

Defence Ministry spokesperson Michael Stempfle said on Friday that the team would evaluate various military options in coordination with Denmark, which leads the mission.

"The question is whether the Arctic is secure and how we can contribute together with our NATO partners," Stempfle told reporters in Berlin.

"We are considering exercises with P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, the deployment of frigates or other naval units for maritime surveillance, and theoretically also the deployment of Eurofighters."

The announcement came as a German military reconnaissance team departed for Greenland to assess conditions for potential future drills with NATO allies in the strategically important region.

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The reconnaissance mission is led by Denmark and includes participation from Norway, Sweden, Finland, the UK, France, and the Netherlands. Germany has dispatched more than a dozen military personnel, including logistics experts from various branches.

Stempfle said the team would examine local conditions and challenging weather patterns to determine what types of exercises could be conducted on land, at sea, and in the air. "When you consider what exercises could be done there — at sea, on land, in the air — you have to look at the local conditions, and that is exactly what should happen," he said.

Asked whether the mission could lead to permanent stationing of forces, Stempfle said it was too early to make such assessments.

"It is too early to judge whether this is about stationing," he said. "As far as I know, it is now primarily about looking at the conditions on site, then also talking about exercises within the framework of NATO with our partners, and we can only say everything else once the talks have taken place on site and the further talks in the coming weeks."