The United States plans to establish two military bases in Greenland at Narsarsuaq in the south and Mestersvig on the east coast, according to Reuters reporting on a deal expected to be signed with Denmark and Greenland. This footprint remains a fraction of the 17 bases maintained during the Cold War era, leaving only the Pituffik Space Base operational today amid ongoing security discussions driven by US President Donald Trump.
Cold War Legacy and the City Under the Ice
During the height of the Cold War, Greenland sat at the direct center of the shortest route between the United States and the Soviet Union. American forces partnered with Denmark to build a vast network of installations across the Arctic island, including Camp Century located 200 kilometers from the coast in 1959, according to historical records. US Army engineers used snow blowers to carve 300-meter-long frozen tunnels encased entirely within the ice sheet, earning the site its moniker as the city under the ice.
While officially designated for scientific research, the base doubled as a nuclear missile testing site under the codename Project Iceworm, according to geologist Paul Bierman speaking to The Conversation in 2026. Engineers installed a nuclear reactor in 1960 to power the 200-person camp with the ultimate goal of deploying up to 600 nuclear missiles across a 4,000-kilometer subterranean rail network. The installation operated for six years before closing in 1966 when the shifting ice caused the tunnels to collapse. Researchers noted in 2016 that warming ice could expose the remaining biological, chemical, and radioactive waste by the end of the century.
The Distant Early Warning Line Stations
Alongside subsurface installations, the US constructed a 5,800-kilometer chain of radar stations known as the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line to detect potential nuclear strikes from the USSR. Four of these sites divided Greenland, featuring space-age structures balanced on steel columns above the ice cap that resembled offshore drilling rigs. These stations became obsolete with advancing technology and were abandoned in October 1988.
Visitors to the DYE-2 site report finding interiors preserved precisely as they were left over three decades ago. Toke Brødsgaard of Greenland Today described seeing a beer bottle sitting on a bar counter and a dart wedged into a dartboard, giving the impression that the personnel had departed simultaneously in a rush.
The Cryolite Mine of Ivittuut
Greenland’s strategic value extended beyond military radar and missile projects to vital industrial minerals. The town of Ivittuut hosted the world’s only commercial cryolite mine, a resource essential for aluminium production used in manufacturing fighter planes during World War II. Peak production occurred in 1942 when 86,000 tons were shipped to the US and Canada, guarded by approximately 500 US soldiers, according to former resident Peter Barfoed and historian Rie Oldenburg speaking to Smithsonian Magazine.
Historian Rie Oldenburg noted that Allied success in winning the Battle of Britain and bombing Germany depended on the raw materials supplied by the Greenland mine. Denmark continued mining operations after the war until reserves depleted, leading to the site’s closure around 1987 after shipping up to 110,000 tons of cryolite to the US in 1985. The town subsequently transformed into a tourist ghost town, marking another chapter of past US presence on the island.
Did you know? During the Cold War, the US military operated 17 distinct bases and radar sites across Greenland to monitor Soviet movements in the Arctic. Today, only the Pituffik Space Base remains active, though new agreements aim to establish installations at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the new US military bases planned in Greenland?
According to Reuters, the US plans to establish military bases at Narsarsuaq in the southern region and Mestersvig on the east coast of Greenland.
What was Camp Century?
Camp Century was a US military base built inside the Greenland ice sheet in 1959. Officially a research station, it housed a nuclear reactor and served as a testing site for Project Iceworm before being abandoned in 1966 due to collapsing ice tunnels.
Why was the town of Ivittuut important during World War II?
Ivittuut housed the world’s only commercial cryolite mine, providing an essential mineral required for aluminium production to manufacture Allied fighter planes.
Are Greenland and Denmark open to selling the island?
Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly stated that the island is not for sale to the United States.
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