A variant of the C-130 warplane, the LC-130 Hercules or “Skibird,” landed on ice in March 2025 in the Canadian Arctic, the first such landing in decades. U.S. AIR NATIONAL GUARD
THE WATCH STAFF
A U.S. Air Force LC-130, or “Skibird,” landed on ice in March 2025, signaling a new approach to operational flexibility in harsh Arctic conditions. The New York Air National Guard landed the plane on freshwater ice, the first such maneuver in decades, during an exercise designed to test Arctic force projection in Canada’s Northwest Territories.
The Skibird, a variant of the Air Force’s transport workhorse, the C-130, completed the landing during the joint exercise Nanook-Nunalivut. It was the first landing by a tactical heavy-lifter since the1960s. The freshwater ice landing on Parsons Lake demonstrated a new facet of Arctic war readiness, illustrating “defensive or offensive” capabilities. “Future operations may include recovering downed Airmen and aircraft, establishing Arctic forward operating locations on the ice, or resupplying land component forces in the High North,” an Air Force spokesman told Air & Space Forces Magazine.
A ski landing area near Parsons Lake allowed the plane to land on snow and ice using skis instead of wheels. Although Air Force regulations don’t differentiate between fresh and saltwater ice, freshwater ice is structurally sounder than saltwater ice because salt disrupts the formation of ice crystals, the spokesman said. Much of the Arctic is covered by saltwater ice, but the region abounds in lakes, rivers and glacial areas. Having the capability of landing on freshwater ice opens more areas to deploy or resupply troops and equipment and gives the U.S. a significant tactical advantage, the spokesman told the magazine. “We are excited to see what the future holds for the LC-130 Hercules and 109th Airlift Wing as we continue to evolve our capabilities in the Arctic,” Lt. Col. Matthew Sala, the 109th Air Wing deployed commander, said in the Air Wing’s news release.
The Skibird’s landing area was built in one day by 109th Airwing members along with members from the 123rd Airlift Wing from Louisville, Kentucky, and 133rd Airlift Wing from Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, according to the news release.
The Skibird is the world’s largest tactical aircraft able to land without a runway on snow or ice and can transport up to 20,412 kilograms of payload. The New York National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing, based at the Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia, N.Y, flies all 10 of the Skibirds in service along with C-130s. The wing supports federal missions like polar airlifts, aeromedical evacuations, aerial port and field hospitals.
The joint exercise with Canada increased interoperability and improved force projection in an increasingly vital region. The value of such exercises is familiarity with each military’s capabilities and protocols. “We come together and operate, to learn from each other’s abilities to find ways to combine our knowledge to make a stronger force,” Lt. Col. Steve Thompson of the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Air Task Force commander of the joint exercise, told the magazine.
“Expanding training in northern Canada sharpens tactical aviators’ skills by leveraging this unique region, as practice is essential to iron out the joint force’s strengths and weaknesses before a national emergency,” Houston Cantwell, a senior resident fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, told the magazine. “Operating in the High North also shows our commitment to the region and establishes a strong presence, which carries deterrent value.”