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GIUK-gat cruciaal voor NAVO-veiligheid infographic
Graphic shows strategic importance of Greenland-Iceland-UK Gap.
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GIUK-gat cruciaal voor NAVO-veiligheid

By Phil Bainbridge

February 6, 2025 - The Greenland-Iceland-UK Gap is acquiring new strategic significance as receding ice allows NATO greater access to Arctic waters and expansion of Russia’s naval operations, including new hybrid threats.

The GUIK Gap has long been a major maritime chokepoint, and control of it has determined military advantage in the North Atlantic, but the frozen Arctic has also acted as a defensive barrier for Russia. Climatic changes are presenting new opportunities and new risks to both sides.

After many years of neglect after the end of the Cold War, the GIUK Gap is once again becoming a key strategic maritime concern for NATO, and for the Russian Navy. NATO can leverage its control of the GIUK Gap to improve surveillance of the Russian Navy in the Arctic, deploy forces in once-restricted areas, and more effectively challenge Russia’s defense strategy. Russia for its part has intensified its Arctic militarisation to secure control over polar shipping lanes, energy resources, and military access point as well as for defensive purposes.

A 10-nation NATO Joint Expeditionary Force activated Nordic Warden, to reinforce existing and planned NATO responses, in January 2025. Using AI to assess data from a range of sources, including the Automatic Identification System (AIS) ships use to broadcast their position, undersea and surface drones, the system will calculate the risk posed by each vessel entering areas of interest.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 06/02/2025; STORY: Graphic News
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