U.S. Navy SEALs and Special Warfare Combat Crewman conduct Maritime Interdiction Operation demonstrations off the USS JOHN L. CANLY, a U.S. Navy Expeditionary Sea Base ship, as part of Operation POLAR DAGGER 24. AIRMAN 1ST CLASS JOHNNY DIAZ/U.S. AIR FORCE
THE WATCH STAFF
United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), U.S. Special Operations Command North (SOCNORTH), and the U.S. Navy have rapidly deployed 150 U.S. Special Operations Forces (USSOF) aboard USS John L. Canley (ESB 6) to conduct multi-domain maritime operations in the North American Arctic as part of Operation POLAR DAGGER 24 (OPD24) during July and August 2024.
Operating in the Bering Sea, Arctic Circle, and Saint Lawrence Island, OPD24 demonstrated the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD) commitment to Arctic campaigning with joint USSOF demonstrating long-range movements, maritime interdiction operations, over the beach operations, medical evacuation, and personnel recovery, while engaging with Alaska Native people and communities.
About 150 joint USSOF participated in OPD24, including: U.S. Naval Special Warfare Combat Crewman (SWCC), U.S. Naval Special Warfare Operators (SEALs), the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), the U.S. Army 528th Special Operations (Airborne) Sustainment Brigade Austere Resuscitative Surgical Team, the 524th Special Operations Squadron, and members of SOCNORTH.
In his 2024 posture statement delivered on March 12, 2024, Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), emphasized the importance of Arctic campaigning stating, “The success of homeland and continental defense requires capability and capacity to conduct sustained multi-domain operations in the Arctic.”
According to U.S. Army Col. Matthew Tucker, Commander, SOCNORTH, OPD24 directly supports the U.S. Department of Defense 2024 Arctic Strategy (June 21, 2024), which states, “Military forces must effectively strengthen their ability to survive and operate in austere environments with honed expertise and specialized equipment to overcome the challenges presented by the Alaskan Arctic and High North.” OPD24 provided SOCNORTH the opportunity to conduct sustained Arctic multi-domain operations, evaluate disruptive capabilities, and expand operational reach as part of a globally integrated layered defense of the U.S. and Canadian homelands.
In summary, OPD24 strengthened joint USSOF forces and U.S. Navy Fleet integration for rapid deployment of USSOF in the Arctic maritime domain. Since 2021, Operation POLAR DAGGER has provided USNORTHCOM and SOCNORTH with an opportunity to enhance deterrence posture, domain awareness, and validate USSOF proficiency to operate in cold weather and austere environments in the Alaskan Arctic and High North.