F‑16s land in Greenland amid Trump's bold acquisition talk
"This is not a joke," said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as quoted by Reuters, when asked about Donald Trump's remarks regarding the purchase of Greenland. This coincided with the arrival of American F-16 fighters on the island. What is their purpose?
According to The Aviationist, NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) decided to deploy two F-16 fighters in Greenland "to forward posture NORAD presence in the Arctic."
American F-16s in Greenland
The press release does not specify this, but according to The Aviationist, the American F-16s were most likely deployed at the Pituffik Space Base (previously known as Thule). Their presence aligns with an agreement on increased NORAD presence in the Arctic, which the United States has made with Greenland, and is not a response to any new threat. However, this situation occurs during heated discussions sparked by Donald Trump's plans, which have raised considerable interest.
Greenland is considered key to the security of the United States. The Pituffik Space Base was established there in the early 1950s.
It handles over 3,000 takeoffs annually. Besides that, it houses the northernmost deep-water port in the world and infrastructure related to airspace surveillance, including an installation responsible for detecting intercontinental ballistic missiles headed towards the U.S.
Greenland: Key to the USA's security
"This is not about acquiring land for the purpose of acquiring land. This is in our national interest and it needs to be solved," added Marco Rubio.
Donald Trump has vocally expressed interest in incorporating Greenland, which is currently an autonomous territory of Denmark, into the United States since his re-election in November. However, his interest in the island dates back to 2019 when he stated that he had ordered analyses on how the United States could acquire Greenland.
