RCAF provides strategic airlift for US Army during Operation Tundra Merlin

NOME, Alaska — The Royal Canadian Air Force has provided strategic airlift for Operation TUNDRA MERLIN, moving a U.S. Army M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, Soldiers and supporting equipment into and out of the Alaskan theater.

On July 31, a Royal Canadian Air Force CC-177 Globemaster III transported the HIMARS from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, to Nome, Alaska, in support of the 17th Field Artillery Brigade, I Corps. En route, the aircraft stopped at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, to embark Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Mobile Brigade Combat Team (Air Assault), 11th Airborne Division, who also took part in the operation.

Following completion of the mission, the Royal Canadian Air Force returned to Nome on Aug. 10 and 11 to redeploy the HIMARS and participating U.S. Army Soldiers to their home stations.

“Operations in the Arctic demand close cooperation between trusted partners and allies,” said Brigadier-General Cedric Aspirault, Director General Operations, Canadian Joint Operations Command. “The rapid deployment and recovery of U.S. Army capabilities aboard a Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft demonstrates how Canadian and American forces routinely operate together to strengthen awareness, readiness, and defence across North America’s northern approaches.”

Officials said the airlift underscored the ability of U.S. and Canadian forces to rapidly project, sustain and redeploy combat power across the Arctic through integrated logistics and strategic airlift, reinforcing interoperability and validating joint operations in austere, remote environments in support of homeland defense. Operation TUNDRA MERLIN brings together assigned forces to enhance homeland defense, strengthen domain awareness and confirm the capacity to quickly employ combat power throughout the Alaskan theater of operations.