New capability: Arctic specialists of the Jaeger Corps

By Danish Defence 

The Sirius Patrol has gained a new complementary capability. Known as the Arctic Specialists of the Jaeger Corps, the unit was established as a result of Sub-Agreement 1 on the Arctic and the North Atlantic under the Danish Defence Agreement 2024–2033.

Like the Sirius Patrol, the Arctic Specialists are organised under Sirius Squadron within the Jaeger Corps. Unlike the traditional dog-sled patrols, however, the Arctic Specialists rely on platforms such as snowmobiles and high-speed motorboats. The specialists and their equipment can also be deployed by aircraft and/or inserted by parachute.

This is stated by the commanding officer of Sirius Squadron in the Jaeger Corps.

“The sled patrols perform an outstanding mission, but they are geographically confined to Northeast Greenland, dependent on frozen fjords for mobility, and they cannot operate particularly fast. The purpose of the Arctic Specialists is to provide everything the sled patrols cannot. They are highly mobile and capable of conducting time-sensitive missions. And they can be deployed anywhere in Greenland,” says the commander of Sirius Squadron.

Photo: Danish Armed Forces

Primary focus on search and rescue

The new arctic specialists are former Sirius personnel who have received additional training. This includes mountaineering training, enabling them to operate in high-alpine terrain and glacier environments. Such training is not normally part of the curriculum for patrol leaders in the Sirius Patrol. One advantage of recruiting former Sirius personnel is the ability to build on the experience they gained during their two-year tours as patrol leaders. Another advantage is that the new specialists essentially carry out the same tasks, but at a significantly higher tempo.

Their primary mission is to support Arctic Command with search and rescue operations, particularly in terrain that is normally inaccessible. Another key task is intelligence gathering or special reconnaissance—for example monitoring whether there are activities or individuals in areas where they should not be. A third important task is recovery operations.

According to the commander of Sirius Squadron, the Arctic Specialists represent a new future for the unit.

“The Sirius Patrol can be seen as a training platform. Personnel serve there for only two years, which means that they are truly at their best just as we are about to send them home. In reality, we should retain them and make use of the exceptional skills they possess. The philosophy behind this initiative is to use the Sirius Patrol as a training platform to create capabilities we do not already have,” the commander explains.

The first Arctic Specialists have already been recruited and are ready to undertake their initial missions.

Part of a broader Danish investment in the Arctic

The Arctic Specialists of the Jaeger Corps are far from the only Danish investment in the Arctic.

The political parties behind the Defence Agreement 2024–2033, in close cooperation with the Faroese government and the Government of Greenland (Naalakkersuisut), have agreed on a number of investments and initiatives aimed at strengthening the Danish Armed Forces’ ability to operate in the Arctic. These include a new headquarters for Arctic Command in Nuuk, the establishment of a maritime patrol aircraft capability, the acquisition of two additional Arctic vessels, the construction of an early-warning radar in East Greenland, the procurement of drones, and the construction of a North Atlantic subsea cable between Greenland and Denmark.

The most recent sub-agreement on the Arctic and the North Atlantic alone strengthens Denmark’s defence posture through new investments totalling DKK 27.4 billion.