On Thursday, November 20 from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, the Atlantic Council’s Transatlantic Security Initiative, in partnership with the Norwegian Ministry of Defense and Royal Norwegian Embassy, will host a conference on a collective approach to Arctic security.

Rising geopolitical tensions and a rapidly changing security environment in the High North are bringing an increased focus to the strategic importance of the Arctic. Arctic nations and the expert community must consider how they can deter aggression, increase operational capabilities, and enhance cooperation between allies and partners in the region.

This event will bring together officials and experts to assess drivers of change in the Arctic and how the United States, Norway, and allies and partners can collectively approach security in the region. Speakers will also explore the role of space in the Arctic and in the NATO Defense Planning Process.

Register below to join the conference in person. This event is open to the public and will be held in person at the Royal Norwegian Embassy (2720 34th St NW, Washington, DC 20008). The conference will not be livestreamed. Registration is required, and all guests will need to bring a photo ID to check-in. Doors will open at 1:00pm, and a networking reception will follow the conclusion of the conference.

New policy: In-person attendees will be required to show photo ID upon arrival, and no on-site registration will be permitted. Registration for this event will close at 5:00 p.m. ET the day prior.

Speakers

Agenda

Agenda subject to change.

1:00–1:30 p.m. | Doors open

Featuring coffee and light refreshments.

A1:30–1:45 p.m. | Welcome remarks

Featuring

Trygve Bendiksby
Deputy Chief of Mission
Royal Norwegian Embassy to the United States

Tressa Guenov
Director for Programs and Operations and Senior Fellow, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security
Atlantic Council

1:45–2:45 p.m. | An evolving Arctic: Defense and security in the High North

Speakers

Ian Brzezinski
Senior Fellow, Transatlantic Security Initiative,
Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security
Atlantic Council;
Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of
Defense for Europe and NATO Policy


Arne Gjennestad
Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Space, Defence and Surveillance
Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace

Celeste Wallander
Executive Director
Penn Washington
Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs

Moderated by

Torrey Taussig
Director and Senior Fellow, Transatlantic Security Initiative,
Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security
Atlantic Council

More speakers to be announced.

Panel description

Rising geopolitical tensions across the globe and a rapidly changing security environment in the High North are bringing an increased focus to the strategic importance of the Arctic. Major disruptions to regional security include increasingly brazen disruptions of critical infrastructure, Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, and Russia’s exclusion from international mechanisms of cooperation in the region and increasing Chinese presence in the Arctic. This potentially destabilizing change is likely to continue in the near-to-medium-term. With new capabilities stemming from Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine, non-Arctic actors increasing their presence in the region, the integration of Sweden and Finland into NATO, and the development of domain awareness capabilities forever changing the ways in which allies and partners operate in the region, ensuring security and stability in the High North is more challenging than ever. This panel will examine these evolving factors and how stakeholders in the High North can deter aggression, increase operational capabilities, and enhance cooperation between allies and partners in the region.

2:45–3:00 p.m. | Coffee break

Please join us during our coffee break.

3:00–3:15 p.m. | Keynote remarks

Featuring

Rolf Skatteboe
President and CEO
Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT)

3:15–3:30 p.m. | Arctic-Space Surveillance Presentation

Speakers to be announced.

3:30–4:15 p.m. | Look to Norway: All-domain awareness in the High North

Speakers

Rolf Skatteboe
President and CEO
Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT)

More speakers to be announced.

Panel description

Senior military leaders across the NATO Arctic Allies have consistently stressed the need for improved domain awareness in the Arctic region. As adversary activity in the region grows, it is more important than ever to have a clear picture of what is happening across the Arctic and the implications for the Arctic Allies and the broader NATO Alliance. Yet the Arctic’s challenging conditions and position on the globe have made gaining all-domain awareness difficult, leading to limited data about the region with major implications for the ability of the Arctic Allies to respond to adversary action. Now, however, space-based capabilities hold the promise to dramatically increase all-domain awareness across the Arctic region. These capabilities, in conjunction with other new technological developments like unmanned systems and advanced sensors, can improve policy makers’ and commanders’ ability to understand and respond in the Arctic region. This panel will examine how new space-based capabilities and other emerging technologies are transforming domain awareness in the Arctic and improving defense and deterrence in the North.

4:15–5:00 p.m. | NATO in space: Capabilities, militarization, and commercial interests

Speakers

MG Odd-Harald Hagen (ret.)
Director, Strategy and Space Development
Space Norway

VADM Ketil Olsen (ret.)
Chief Executive Officer
Andøya Space

More speakers to be announced.

Panel description

As NATO allies rethink their strategies for the High North, space infrastructure and satellite-based capabilities will serve a critical role in overcoming challenges to commercial and military operations in the Arctic. Space capabilities contribute to connectivity, global and regional weather and climate monitoring, and governance oversight. They also offer military advantage, especially in otherwise inaccessible regions such as the Arctic. NATO has recognized this and has introduced space contributions as part of the NATO Defense Planning Process. As space capabilities continue to develop and proliferate, how can NATO Allies like Norway continue to support innovation in space and harness these new capabilities to improve defense and deterrence, including in the Arctic and High North? How should commercial and military needs be balanced in space?

5:00–6:30 p.m. | Networking reception

Featuring drinks and light refreshments.

Stay connected

In partnership with

Explore the program

The Transatlantic Security Initiative aims to reinforce the strong and resilient transatlantic relationship that is prepared to deter and defend, succeed in strategic competition, and harness emerging capabilities to address future threats and opportunities.

Learn more