The French Air and Space Force has accomplished a milestone by landing an Airbus A400M Atlas transport aircraft on Arctic sea ice north of Greenland, marking the first such operation for the type. This demonstration, reported on March 19, 2026, proves the aircraft’s capability for sustained logistics in extreme high-latitude environments with minimal infrastructure.
Prior to this sea ice landing, the A400M underwent certification for ice runway operations in Greenland. On March 4, 2025, a crew from the Centre d’Expertise Aérienne Militaire (CEAM) landed at Station Nord, conducting five flights to and from Mestersvig with increasing cargo loads. Certification was completed by March 9, 2025, enabling operations on ice runways at temperatures reaching minus 40 degrees Celsius.
Major BOF, a Royal Danish Air Force C-130J test pilot from Aalborg Air Force Station, assisted the French team. He noted challenges including cold-induced equipment issues: “The equipment quickly gets cold when it’s on the ground. Gaskets become porous, hydraulic leaks can occur, and batteries don’t do well in the cold either, so it’s important to put some heaters on as soon as you land.”
Major General Søren Andersen, Arctic Command commander, highlighted the A400M’s advantages: it carries nearly twice the load of the C-130J, providing redundancy for resupplying isolated stations like Station Nord and Mestersvig in challenging weather. The trials also supported Danish stations in Northeast Greenland.
Earlier tests in late January 2025 involved Canadian remote airports on snow-covered gravel runways, building toward polar capabilities. The sea ice landing advances France’s tactical airlift in strategically vital Arctic regions.