Summary and Key Points: U.S. Marines from the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment have arrived in Bardufoss, Norway, for “Exercise Cold Response 26” aboard a surprising transport: the New England Patriots’ Boeing 767-300ER.
-Operated by Omni Air International, the “AirKraft” ferried troops ahead of the major Arctic drill, which kicks off in March with 25,000 personnel from a dozen nations.
U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Elijah Geiwitz fires an M4 carbine in the short bay during a live-fire rifle range for the combat marksmanship course on Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, March 13, 2025. CMC refines Marines marksmanship fundamentals and enhances their lethality through advanced marksmanship training. Geiwitz, a native of Wisconsin, is an automotive maintenance technician with 3rd Landing Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Michael Taggart)
-The deployment highlights NATO’s renewed focus on cold-weather readiness, with the UK also bolstering its presence through a new “Lunna House” agreement to station Royal Marines permanently near Camp Viking to counter threats to undersea infrastructure.
“AirKraft” in Norway: Why Marines Are Flying on an NFL Plane
U.S. Marines have arrived in Norway for major Arctic drills as tensions heat up in the region. A chunk of the contingent stepped off the very same Boeing 767 the NFL’s New England Patriots will soon use to travel to the Super Bowl.
Task & Purpose reported that Marines from 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division landed at Bardufoss on January 19 on a Patriots-owned jet, based on photos posted to the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.
The Marine Corps told the outlet the deployment is using a blend of military and contracted civilian lift, including the Patriots’ very own 767-300ER, as forces flow into the Scandinavian country ahead of Exercise Cold Response 26.
The aircraft is operated by Omni Air International under U.S. Transportation Command charter arrangements, and the Patriots’ “AirKraft” interior is configured for high-end team travel, even when carrying passengers from another team.
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Julie Martinez, a drill instructor with 4th Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina and a native of St. George, Utah, encourages a member of the Marine Corps’ Delayed Entry Program to sound off during Recruiting Station Baltimore’s annual Female Pool Function at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, June 20, 2015. The purpose of the annual Female Pool Function is to build mental and physical toughness among members of the Delayed Entry Program and to maintain their commitment to complete recruit training in order to become United States Marines. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Bryan Nygaard/Released)
One Patriots executive noted that the jet typically seats approximately 260 people, but the team generally prefers extra space when possible.
What is clear is that NATO is putting real weight back into cold-weather readiness. This latest exercise, due to begin in March, should involve roughly 25,000 personnel from a dozen countries, with some 3,000 U.S. Marines forming a major share of the American presence.
The UK, a close ally of the US, is also deepening its own Arctic posturing. Regardless of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s sparring with Trump over possible Greenland tariffs, the respective nations remain deeply connected in military and intelligence terms, in and outside of the Arctic Circle.
The Royal Navy stated that its Lunna House agreement with Norway is intended to move UK Commando Force activity from the familiar rhythm of annual winter trips to a more persistent operational relationship built close to Camp Viking near Øverbygd, backed by all-terrain vehicles and Commando Helicopter Force aircraft.
The BBC reported that 150 Royal Marines from Taunton’s 40 Commando had been deployed to Norway recently, with the UK sending roughly 1,500 personnel overall, tying the renewed focus to undersea-cable security concerns.
Pfc. Christina Fuentes Montenegro and other Marines from Delta Company, Infantry Training Battalion, School of Infantry-East, receive final instructions prior to assaulting an objective during the Infantry Integrated Field Training Exercise aboard Camp Geiger, N.C., Nov 15, 2013. Montenegro is one of three female Marines to be the first women to graduate infantry training with the battalion. Delta Company is the first company at ITB with female students as part of a measured, deliberate and responsible collection of data on the performance of female Marines when executing existing infantry tasks and training events, the Marine Corps is soliciting entry-level female Marine volunteers to attend the eight week basic infantryman and infantry rifleman training courses at ITB.
The Royal Navy has said that British troops are deploying “in force,” with the Camp Viking hub and helicopter support enabling training across Norway’s mountains and coastline ahead of Cold Response.
Omni’s 2024 partnership announcement made clear the Patriot jets are available for “other charter flights,” including government and humanitarian missions. This is precisely the sort of surge capacity militaries lean on when they need to move people quickly without tying up scarce organic transport.
While the NFL is certainly not to every American’s taste, the usefulness of their vast resources, including at times for military needs, cannot be denied.
About the Author: Georgia Gilholy
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and the Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education. You can follow her on X:@llggeorgia.
