If Russia were to send missiles towards the US, the shortest route for nuclear weapons would be via the North Pole and Greenland," said Marc Jacobsen, an associate professor at the Royal Danish Defence College.
"That's why the Pituffik Space Base is immensely important in defending the US."
China and Russia have begun building up their Arctic military capabilities in recent years, theres the need for the US to further develop its presence in the Arctic to counter its rivals.