Possible Danish-Ukrainian airlift operation to be staged at Thule

Published April 30, 2008
By 1st Lt. Nicole Langley
821st Air Base Group Public Affairs

THULE AIR BASE, Greenland -- A Royal Danish Air Force team recently escorted a Ukrainian Air Force delegation here as part of a fact-finding mission for a possible future operation.

Denmark has recently reached out to Ukraine through a number of organizations - from the RDAF to the Ministry of Agriculture, as a means of introducing the nation to NATO procedures.

During a recent visit to Kiev, the RDAF Security Corporation proposed a flying mission to Ukraine - one that would provide a Ukrainian aircrew with a prime training opportunity and would also enable Denmark to re-supply Station Nord, the country's northernmost military and scientific research outpost in Greenland, explained Maj. Ove Urup-Madsen, Royal Danish Air Force Tactical Air Command.

Each year Denmark conducts Operation Brilliant Ice, a re-supply operation to Station Nord, which provides the remote station with enough fuel to operate for the coming year. While the mission is normally accomplished in April, this year Denmark plans to conduct it between August and September.

Scientists from all over the world use Nord as a hub for conducting research, and it's expected that there will be increased expeditions to Station Nord in the coming year because of the heightened attention on the Arctic region.

Increased expeditions mean that Denmark will need to boost the amount of fuel airlifted to the station, said Major Urup-Madsen.

With most of Denmark's C-130 fleet currently supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, they would be unable to re-supply Nord without outside assistance.

Home of the world's northernmost deepwater port, Thule receives Nord's fuel supply by huge tanker ships during the base's short summer port season and stores the fuel until the re-supply operation takes place.

Thule is located about 715 miles southwest of Station Nord, and supports the operation and aircrews conducting the mission with everything from airfield support to food, lodging and medical care, if necessary.

By providing this opportunity to Ukraine, we're showing them that we have no problem working with the U.S., explained Major Urup-Madsen. While the primary goal is to move the fuel, we'd like to show them who we are and who the Americans are.

While the Ukrainians have until early May to make their final decision on whether or not they will accept the mission, Capt. Valerii Tarassenko, chief loadmaster for the Ukrainian aircrew, viewed the possible operation optimistically.

"This is a golden hour for us - this mission," said the captain. "We can show that we might bring a new breeze in our relationship with Denmark and the U.S. This is a big step for Ukraine with future relationships."

Thule already supports a wide range of international Arctic military and scientific research missions.

The operation would bring another nation to the dynamic mix of cultures and countries at Thule Air Base, and is welcomed bythe base commander, Col. Lee-Volker Cox.

"We view our base as a model for international cooperation in the Arctic. If they decide to accept the mission to support our Danish Allies, it will be a tremendous opportunity to demonstrate how the U.S. and Denmark work together on a daily basis. We look forward to the Ukrainians becoming a part of Team Thule."

Danish-Ukrainian delegation visits Thule