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Trump reportedly wants to 'buy' Greenland. This is what it's like at the US's Arctic base there
Trump reportedly wants to 'buy' Greenland. This is what it's like at the US's Arctic base there
Ellen Ioanes,Ellen IoanesAug 16, 2019, 22:27 IST
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U.S. Air Force Gen. Terrence O'Shaughnessy, Commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) visits units and tour facilities at Thule AB, Greenland, April 24, 2019.Preston Schlachter / North American Aerospace Defense Command / DVIDS
The US operates Thule Air Base on the autonomous Danish territory, 750 miles north of the Arctic Circle. For much of the year, the base is locked in by ice.
Temperatures at the base can fall below -30 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, with winds up to 100 knots.
President Donald Trump has stated several times his desire to acquire Greenland, according to The Wall Street Journal. In addition to its beauty and natural resources, Greenland is located between the US and Russia, making it strategically important in a Cold War-like conflict between the two.
Greenland is an autonomous Danish territory, with its own government that handles domestic issues. On Friday, Greenland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweeted, "We're open for business, not for sale."
The US has operated Thule Air Base in Greenland's high Arctic since the 1950s. While the mission of the base has changed over time, the base is now charged with warning North America about incoming intercontinental ballistic missles (ICBMs).
Thule Air Base is 750 miles north of the Arctic Circle and midway between New York and Moscow. The base is home to the 12th Space Warning Squadron, which detects ICBMs headed toward North America with its Ballistic Missile Early Warning System.
The orientation letter for new Thule Airmen welcomes them to "The Top of the World." It also stresses just how remote the installation is: "There is no 'local town.' The closest Inuit (native Eskimo) village, Qaanaaq, is located
65 miles away. There is no 'off-base' except for the bay, the ice cap and what appears to be thousands of miles of rocks and/or ice."
Thule is located on Greenland, the world's largest island. Construction was completed in 1953. Thule's population is about 600 military and civilian personnel — 400 Danes, 50 Greenlanders, 3 Canadians, and 140 Americans.
Thule is locked in by ice nine months each year. A Canadian Icebreaker ship comes in during the summer to clear a path for cargo ships from the US, Canada, and Denmark to replenish the base's supply of fuel, construction supplies, cargo, and food.
In the summer months, Thule sees 24 hours of sunlight. Flowers like poppies bloom, and cotton and moss grow. Birds like peregrine falcons fly in, and mosquitos proliferate — to the extent that locals refer to them as the "Greenlandic Air Force."
Temperatures at Thule have reached up to 68 Fahrenheit in the summer months; but during the winter, they can fall below -30, with winds up to 100 knots.
Storm conditions at Thule can be extreme, and are divided into five categories: Normal, Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta, with Delta being the most threatening. Under Delta storm conditions, personnel are required to shelter in place, and no travel is allowed at all, with the exception of emergency vehicles.
While there is limited internet and opportunities for outdoor activity during the summer months, there's a lot Thule doesn't have: A bank or ATM, paved roads or sidewalks, or a clothing store. It also doesn't have a view of the Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights — it's too far north.
