Combined Presence and Partnership in the Arctic

Alaskan NORAD Region/Alaskan Command/11th Air Force
Story by Staff Sgt. Christopher Chen

Date: 07.22.2026
Posted: 07.22.2026 18:58
News ID: 570545
Combined Presence and Partnership in the Arctic

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska— In support of the enduring Operation TUNDRA MERLIN, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro (WMSL 755), USCGC Storis (WAGB 21), and USCGC Fir (WLB 213) conducted a combined sail in the Bering Sea alongside Royal Canadian Navy HMCS Max Bernays, reinforcing the maritime partnership between our two nations on July 21, 2026.

Through a series of rigorous training drills and collaborative exercises, crews of Munro, Storis, Fir, and Max Bernays sharpened their combined interoperability, showcasing a strong, united presence in the Arctic. This combined sail directly supports Operation TUNDRA MERLIN, which is designed to expand combined capabilities across the land, sea, air, and space domains to achieve complete multi-domain awareness in the Arctic.

By aligning force postures, the United States and Canada improve regional security and expand combined interoperability. This relationship ensures both forces are seamlessly prepared to contribute to shared continental defense responsibilities and detect, deter, disrupt and defeat potential threats from all approaches in the Alaskan Theater of Operations. Combined sails ensure the Bering Sea remains safe and secure, and ships of both nations are prepared to defend North American sovereignty.