16 hrs ago
New Greenland Defence Deal Could Bring US Troops to Mestersvig
A new defence agreement may let the United States build a military base in Greenland.
One possible location is Mestersvig, a very cold and isolated place.
It is far from the nearest town and sits beside a huge national park.
The site is important because ships traveling from Russia toward the Atlantic pass through nearby waters.
Denmark currently has only three soldiers there.
The old facility has room for up to 150 soldiers and an airstrip for large planes.
Local officials support more investment in eastern Greenland.
However, the United States has not yet publicly said that it will build the base.
A new US-Danish defence agreement could allow a US base at Mestersvig and Narsarsuaq.
Mestersvig lies 240 kilometres from the nearest settlement in remote eastern Greenland.
The outpost overlooks the GIUK gap, a strategically important North Atlantic route.
Only three Danish soldiers currently maintain the facility, which can house 150 troops.
The United States has not publicly announced plans for either potential base.
- Who
- The United States and Denmark are parties to the new defence agreement; Greenland would host the potential facilities.
- What
- The agreement could allow the United States to establish military bases at Mestersvig and Narsarsuaq.
- Where
- Mestersvig in eastern Greenland and Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland.
- When
- The agreement was signed this week, according to the report dated September 25.
- Why
- Mestersvig overlooks the GIUK gap, a strategic North Atlantic passage that NATO considers important for containing Russian naval power.
Key facts
- Potential sites
- Mestersvig and Narsarsuaq in Greenland
- Current Mestersvig personnel
- Three Danish soldiers
- Facility capacity
- Barracks for up to 150 soldiers
- Distance from settlement
- 240 kilometres from the nearest settlement, whose population is 330
- Airstrip
- A 1.8-kilometre gravel runway suitable for military transport planes
- Climate
- Winter darkness and average temperatures of about minus 10 degrees Celsius
- US announcement
- The United States has made no public announcement about its base plans
Quotes
Justus Hansen
Local member of parliament in Greenland
“This is as remote, as cold, and as extreme as you can find in the world. You have to go to Antarctica to find similar conditions.”
theprint.in
“Any infrastructural improvements in Greenland would be very welcome.”
theprint.in
Sources
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