RUSI Journal Vol 171 Issue 2 2026

The High North is no longer on the periphery of strategic thinking – if it ever was. Readers will be well aware of the political and military importance of the Arctic and its near approaches. The ice is still melting. New trade routes are still opening. Previously unreachable resources are becoming accessible. Minerals. Food. Energy. Many reconnaissance satellites are in polar orbit. Many satellite constellations rely on Arctic ground stations. Greenland is rarely out of the news. We could go on.

In short, the High North is important

The decision to commission a themed issue of the RUSI Journal concentrating on the High North is a reflection of our judgement that this is no longer a niche topic. The region is at the intersection of geopolitics, climate change, technological adaptation and defence policy. We need to take the Arctic seriously, not least because the great powers do. In this issue, we aim to deepen readers’ understanding and, hopefully, stimulate debate amongst security policy-makers and practitioners.

We are not alone in this line of thinking. At the time of writing, in the immediate aftermath of the Munich Security Conference, the media is reporting UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s speech singling out the Arctic as a focus for British political and military attention, including a potential future deployment of the carrier strike group to the region. Similar emphasis was given by other European leaders, too. Media outlets, podcasts, and academic journals are turning their attention north in a way not seen in recent decades.

What should the UK and its allies and partners do? The contributors to this issue tackle that question from several angles. Some take it head on and provide succinct policy recommendations. Others give very specific pointers from national and international perspectives. We have some leading names in the field of Arctic scholarship within our pages, and we are particularly delighted to have so many professional insights from serving officers. Proposals such as the creation of a Nordic ranger unit sit well alongside explanations of the particular challenges of High North logistics. But we must not define the High North too narrowly in geographic terms. Beyond the European Arctic, the role of Alaska in US homeland defence is the subject of another professional insight and demonstrates that Arctic security is not simply a transatlantic or even hemispheric matter – this region’s dynamics have to fit into a far wider strategic picture.

We wish we were able to fill the gaps in a missing perspective, but approaching Russia to provide an article on their Arctic security challenges was never an option. One article comes close, though, using novel open-source techniques to assess the effectiveness and sustainability of Russian Arctic bases.

The challenges of the High North are not limited to military matters, of course. Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, for example, tests states’ capacities to exert their jurisdiction across vast, sparsely populated and unmonitored areas. And we must not forget people. The High North is home to indigenous populations and “incomers” – look out for a photo-feature on this in a future issue; the Arctic winter precluded travel in time for this Journal, but our photo-journalist is on the ground as I type. The High North is a topic we will certainly return to. Again and again.

Finally, in the spirit of providing something for everyone, there are two fascinating “off-topic” research articles in this issue: one outlining some principles of tank design, and one tackling the cognitive dimensions of cyber-attacks.

Enjoy the issue and, please, contribute to the debate.