The White House on Monday released a plan to guide execution of the Biden administration’s year-old strategy for the Arctic region, setting forth multiple strategic objectives to invest in for the U.S. to meet its vision for security, environmental, economic development, and governance.
Under the security pillar of the Implementation Plan for the National Strategy for the Arctic Region (NSARIP) are dozens of activities to be done within the three strategic objectives of domain awareness, the need for presence, and leveraging allies and partners. No funding is outlined in the plan and for the most part it appears to commit to continuing existing efforts.
Investments in domain awareness will include modern capabilities to track airborne and maritime threats, sensing to observe sea traffic, weather and sea ice, improved communications and positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) capabilities, better modeling and analytics to predict changes in the Arctic environment, and improved mapping, charting, and forecasting of weather and sea ice.
The Defense Department’s space capabilities feature in the implementation plan to include data sharing and operational cooperation with allies and partners, developing the Navy’s capability to assess sea ice data from satellites, have the Space Force develop a real-time ionospheric model to provide data on the Arctic region, and continue to develop a weather system follow-on to update the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program microwave sensor capabilities to monitor surface, atmosphere, and ocean conditions.
In the areas of communications and PNT for domain awareness, the NSARIP directs DoD to assess GPS service for users in Alaska and the Arctic, ensure global satellite communications for presidential and DoD command and control of strategic forces, partner with the commercial space industry and allies for broadband communications for the U.S. military operating in the Arctic regions, and through 2027 continue investing in DoD’s Global Lightning exercise for assured satellite communications.
The plan also directs NASA to inventory existing and emerging U.S. commercial space-based assets such as low-Earth communications satellites and assess their ability to identify requirements and user needs by mid-fiscal year 2024.
The NSARIP also highlights the need to add to the Coast Guard’s fleet of polar icebreakers, a program that the service already has underway to ensure “persistent presence in the U.S. Arctic and additional presence as needed in the European Arctic.” It also directs the Coast Guard to identify the right asset mix for year-round assured access to the Arctic.
Customs and Border Protection is directed to increase the availability of its aviation and maritime detection, monitoring, and response resources in the region, and for the agency to expand its staffing in Alaska for continuous all-source intelligence in support of trade, border security, and national security.
The plan’s focus on presence in the Arctic region emphasizes regular combined exercises and training by leveraging existing efforts, including exercises with allies. It also calls for continuing to improve the Army’s capabilities in the region through the 11th Airborne Division, and leveraging the Air Force for strategic airlift and refueling to U.S. and partner aircraft.