The French Air Force has deployed an A400M aircraft to deliver fuel to Denmark’s military outpost, Station Nord, in Greenland.
Station Nord is located almost 1,000 km from the North Pole and is largely inaccessible to cargo ships because of sea ice, so all supplies must be delivered by air.
The Danish Ministry of Defense reported that its own C-130 aircraft are also being deployed for the mission.
The French A400M is operating flights between Kangerlussuaq on Greenland’s west coast and Station Nord, more than three hours away to the northeast.
The fuel is primarily used to generate electricity and heat the station’s buildings, where temperatures easily fall below -30C in winter and rarely rise above freezing in summer, even on the warmest days.
In addition to military facilities, Station Nord is also home to the Villum Research Station, a civilian research facility operated by Aarhus University. This is the first time a French A400M transport aircraft has taken part in the operation after being tested and certified for landings on icy runways during the winter.
Previously, Ukrainian aviation was also involved in supply missions in Greenland. In 2009, a joint Ukrainian-Danish operation, Northern Falcon, was carried out to transport fuel and other cargo to the Danish polar Station Nord using Il-76MD aircraft.
