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Improving domain awareness in the Arctic requires more than new technology—it demands international collaboration. That was the central focus of a virtual navigation and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) workshop hosted April 29 to May 1 by the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies, the U.S. Navy Office of Naval Research, and the U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory.
The three-day event brought together researchers, operators and defense professionals from across seven allied nations to identify capability gaps and research priorities related to Arctic navigation and ISR.
The workshop was conducted under the framework of the International Cooperative Engagement Program for Polar Research—known as ICE-PPR—a long-standing research initiative established through a 25-year Memorandum of Understanding. The MOU links the U.S. Department of Defense with the defense ministries of Canada, Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden, enabling collaboration and cost-sharing on polar research efforts that advance shared security interests.
Navigation, ISR and related technologies are vital to Arctic situational awareness in both near- and long-term timeframes—providing the backbone for operational decision-making, force mobility, and regional deterrence.
“ICE-PPR in general and this workshop in particular offer a fantastic opportunity to engage with allies at the action officer level to find mutual research interests and share information that will support the Arctic practitioner,” said Randy “Church” Kee, Director of the TSC and chair of the ICE-PPR Situational Awareness Working Group.
That working group includes two sub-groups focused on communications and navigation/ISR—both essential for operating effectively in austere Arctic environments.
“Arctic situational awareness is hindered by lack of region-specific assets, harsh climate, remoteness, paucity of data, and geopolitical tension,” said Matthew Schell, workshop organizer and Deputy Associate Director for Research and Analysis at the TSC. “For example, an innovative replacement for GPS that works equally well above 70 degrees North Latitude would be a game-changer in the Arctic.”
The workshop’s agenda featured expert panels, structured discussions and a collaborative review of Polar Waze, an emerging ICE-PPR concept that proposes using dynamic sea ice and weather data to optimize Arctic maritime routes. Participants included military planners, policy advisers, scientists and technical experts from across time zones stretching from Alaska to Finland.
A final report summarizing research gaps and priority areas will guide follow-on projects and ICE-PPR engagement activities planned for later this year.
“This wasn’t just about exchanging ideas,” Schell said. “It was about aligning efforts to close critical gaps—and advancing the partnerships that will shape the future of Arctic security.”
| Date Taken: | 05.02.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.30.2025 16:28 |
| Story ID: | 499337 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, ALASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 49 |
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