Pituffik Space Base (pronounced bee-doo-FEEK), formerly known as Thule Air Base (pronounced too-lee), is located in Greenland—a country within the Kingdom of Denmark and inhabited by approximately 56,000 people. Greenland covers nearly 840,000 square miles; more than 80 percent is covered either by the ice cap or smaller glaciers. Pituffik SB is locked in by ice nine months out of the year, but the airfield is open and operated year round.
Pituffik SB, the DoD's northernmost installation, is operated by the 821st Space Base Group and part of Space Base Delta 1.
Pituffik SB exists today due to agreements between the United States and the Kingdom of Denmark, specifically addressing mutual defense. Strategically, Pituffik SB’s “Top of the World” vantage point enables Space Superiority. Pituffik SB supports Missile Warning, Missile Defense and Space Surveillance missions from the solid-state phased-array radar operated by the 12th Space Warning Squadron (12 SWS) and Satellite Command and Control through the Pituffik Tracking Station operated by the 23rd Space Operations Squadron, Detachment 1 (Det-1).