Working in one of the coldest and remote regions of the world, being a member of the Danish Sirius Dog Sled Patrol is hard work. Members of this small but elite unit patrol the northern and northeastern part of Greenland. The Sled Patrol was first created in April 1941, with the mission of monitoring German weather stations and preventing an enemy foothold. The German weather stations provided weather reports for U-boat operations and to the German navy. The sled patrol was discontinued in October 1945 at the end of World War II.
The Dog Sled Patrol was re-established in 1950 at the beginning of the Cold War – with the mission of maintaining Danish control and sovereignty in the northern reaches of Greenland. At one time it was called Sled Patrol Resolute, but its name was changed in 1953.
The patrol provides a presence in the uninhabited Arctic territory during the winter time when machines face operating challenges. The dog sled teams are more durable than vehicles that tend to break down in extreme temperatures. During the warmer months, boats and aircraft are used for monitoring of the region. During the winter months, sea ice dominates the region of northern Greenland making boat travel very difficult.
This elite unit currently (2026) has 6 teams; each team consisting of two members and about a dozen sled dogs. The sled teams are positioned in small isolated outposts in northeast Greenland. The Sirius Squadron is part of the Danish Army Special Forces. The Sirius Patrol comes under the command of the Joint Arctic Command which is based at Nuuk, Greenland.
Photo: A tent pitched by the Sirius Sled Patrol, credit Sled Patrol Sirius – Danish Defence, 2025.
The members of the Dog Sled Patrol live and work in extremely tough conditions; experiencing temperatures down to -35 degrees C (-31 degrees F); if not colder. The sun disappears for quite a few months in the winter – often referred to as the polar night. The team patrols the coastline of the north and the northeast – which is part of the Greenland National Park, the world’s largest national park. The patrols cover thousands of kilometers of rugged, ice-bound coastline.
Because of the solitude of the assignment team members must have a variety of skills to be self-sufficient in austere and remote locations. Training for team members is rigorous. Topics include survival skills, teamwork, Arctic navigation, communications, dog handling, and more. Only a small fraction of applicants are accepted. Members must have some military experience before volunteering for the training. Team members serve 26 month tours.
The Danish Special Forces (Danish Defence) have three SOF units: the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, the Frogmen (Naval SOF), and the Danish Army Special Forces (JGK), and the Danish Navy Special Forces (FKP). Another Danish military unit has recently been established, “Arctic Specialists”, that complement and expand Denmark’s Arctic capabilities in Greenland.
The Sirius Dog Sled Patrol has a unique role. Its operations complement broader surveillance, defense infrastructure, and allied activities. It is a direct expression of Danish sovereignty and state presence in the northeast part of Greenland at a time that Greenland’s strategic significance has grown.
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Top Photo: Danish Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, Danish Navy, photo taken at Mestersvig, Greenland, April 26, 2011.
References:
“Danish Sirius Patrol with Kasper Damso”, The Team House, YouTube, 2021 (1hr 46 min). https://www.youtube.com/live/z0ekhw2NMUE
“Denmark touts ability of new Arctic special forces to operate anywhere in Greenland,” FlightGlobal, January 20, 2026.
https://www.flightglobal.com/helicopters/denmark-touts-ability-of-new-arctic-special-forces-to-operate-anywhere-in-greenland/166004.article
“New Capability: Arctic Specialists,” Danish Defence, December 11, 2025.
https://www.forsvaret.dk/en/news/2025/ny-kapacitet-arktiske-specialister/
