The United States Coast Guard recently completed a major interoperability exercise with the Norwegian Coast Guard as part of Operation Arctic Cohesion (OAC). The national security cutter USCGC Stone and Norwegian Coast Guard Vessel Hopen conducted crew exchanges and combined underway training in July 2026 off the U.S. New England coast and ashore in Newport, Rhode Island, according to a U.S. Coast Guard news release.
The exercise marked a “milestone in operational readiness” between the two nations — both members of the operationally focused Arctic Coast Guard Forum (ACGF). Representatives from ACGF partners Canada and Finland observed the event to gain lessons learned with other member states, including Denmark, Iceland and Sweden. As a voluntary organization, the ACGF works to “foster safe, secure, and environmentally responsible maritime activity in the Arctic.”
The U.S. Coast Guard’s persistent presence in the Arctic contributes to strategic deterrence by upholding international maritime governance, protecting national sovereignty and dissuading competitors in the region. The combined exercises with Allies strengthen security and surveillance in the region, where Russian and Chinese activity is increasing.
“As the Arctic domain grows more complex, strategic collaboration is vital to … ensuring we can respond effectively to evolving demands,” said U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Anne O’Connell, the Stone’s commanding officer. “Exercises like this demonstrate that we are stronger together than we are apart.”
The Hopen conducted its exercises with the U.S. Coast Guard as part of a nearly two month OAC deployment that began in June 2026 and included stops in Canada, Iceland, Greenland and New York, where the ship participated in the International Naval Review. The U.S. Coast Guard has conducted regular exercises with NATO-member Coast Guards since the establishment of ACGF in 2015.
“The United States and Norway share a decades-long partnership built on common values, shared experiences and a forward-looking vision for the Arctic,” said Royal Norwegian Navy Capt. Øyvind Fagerheim, the Hopen’s commanding officer. “As partners in the Arctic Coast Guard Forum, our nations remain firmly committed to strengthening operational collaboration to address maritime security, environmental protection, rescue operations, and other vital coast guard missions across the Arctic and beyond.”
During the Hopen’s visit to Canada in July 2026, the Norwegian Coast Guard and the Canadian Coast Guard signed a cooperation agreement. “The plan will enhance operational cooperation in support of strengthened ties between the two organizations and mutual sharing of experience and knowledge, including on coast guard operations in the Arctic,” Craig Macartney, spokesperson for Canada’s Department of National Defence, told the Cape Breton Post newspaper.
“When coast guards from several nations train, sail, and carry out missions together, we strengthen our collective ability to safeguard safety in some of the world’s most demanding waters,” Norwegian Coast Guard Capt. Ture Lehn, deputy commander, said in a June 2026 news release.