FRIDAY FOTO (August 21, 2020)

Quiet Crossing.

(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Sara Eshleman)

The Royal Danish Navy Thetis-class frigate HDMS Triton leads the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner across Godthab’s Fjord in the Labrador Sea on August 13, 2020.

The Hudner participated in Canadian Operation Nanook alongside U.S. Coast Guard, Canadian, French, and Danish Allies to enhance their Arctic capabilities.

Operation NANOOK. which runs through August 24, is the Canadian Armed Forces’ signature northern operation. It comprises a series of comprehensive, joint, interagency, and multinational activities designed to exercise the defense of Canada and security in the region.

NANOOK-TUUGAALIK is the maritime component of the NANOOK series of deployments and training events and designed as a maritime presence operation and domain awareness of the seas in the Eastern Arctic. Operation NANOOK has taken place each year since 2007, but because of COVID-19, there will be no land ops or visits to local communities.

The United States is one of eight Arctic nations and the National Defense Strategy calls upon the military to increase its presence in the Arctic over the long term and to conduct joint operations with Arctic allies to strengthen situational awareness and information sharing.

In addition to the Hudner and Triton, this year’s maritime component for Operation NANOOK included the Royal Canadian Navy ships HMCS Glace Bay, HMCS Ville de Quebec, and MV Asterix; the “Misfits” of Helicopter Maritime Strike (HSM) 46.2; the U.S. Coast Guard cutter USCGC Tahoma, French Navy coastal patrol vessel FS Fulmar. While France is not an Arctic nation, it is a member of NAT, as are the United States, Canada and Denmark (thanks to its control of Greenland). However, France still has territory in the High North, the fishing islands of  Saint-Pierre and Miquelon are the last piece of French territory in North America.