Published 6:57 pm Friday, August 21, 2026 By William Koblensky Varela Northern News Services A military vessel and aircraft have arrived in Nunavut as part of two separate operations scheduled to run until Sept. 25. Offshore patrol vessel HMCS Robert Hampton Gray arrived off the shore of Resolute Bay on Aug. 17 and will conduct naval exercises around Little Cornwallis Island until Sept. 25. The gunship carries 90 sailors and will visit Cambridge Bay in mid-September to refuel. Iqaluit and Pangnirtung will see limited air force activity from Aug. 21 to Sept. 1. Royal Canadian Air Force planes and personnel are testing airfield conditions across the Arctic. The German airforce, called Luftwaffe, will also take part in the exercise. HMCS Robert Hampton Gray left Halifax on its way to Resolute Bay on Aug. 14, and will head to the Western Arctic at the end of September. “When this occurs, the ship will be visiting communities within the Inuvialuit Region during the mission,” said Nathan Felix, public affairs officer for the Department of National Defence. From Sept. 9 to 25 in Resolute Bay, the Canadian Army’s 1st Engineering Support Unit, with assistance from the 1st Canadian Ranger Support Group, will participate in military exercises. The naval exercise are called Operation Nanook-Nunakput and the air force exercise is called Operation Nanook-Qimaavivut.
Two military operations taking place in Nunavut until September
