Press Release

Press Release – For Immediate Release

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. – The U.S. recently signed a twenty-five year agreement with Canada, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and New Zealand to facilitate military research and development efforts across the Arctic region.

The International Cooperative Engagement Program for Polar Research Memo of Understanding, which is the first between these countries, establishes a framework for research, development, test, and evaluation cooperation.

The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, known as DEVCOM, joined the Navy-led ICE PPR at the end of 2019. Participants include all of the U.S. military services and the: National Science Foundation; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Department of Energy; Department of State; and United States Geological Survey.

According to DEVCOM officials, joining the Navy-led ICE PPR has saved the Army several years of relationship building and bureaucracy to pursue a comparable multilateral agreement.

DEVCOM scientists and engineers participate in several working groups that meet virtually each month to explore areas of Joint interest including the complex Polar environment, challenges to human operations and survival, as well as improvements to terrestrial platforms and combat and weapons systems in extreme environments.

The working groups are now focused on identifying the most meaningful and advantageous areas for cooperative Project Arrangements and Equipment and Material Transfer Arrangements. PAs and E&MTAs are government-to-government international agreement mechanisms that allow the U.S. to join forces with foreign partners to leverage resources and gain access to the most cutting-edge technologies in the world. These mechanisms also help advance interoperability between countries and promote U.S. security, while eliminating duplication of efforts and saving time and resources.
The Artic region, which includes all areas north of the Arctic Circle as well as western Alaska and contiguous seas of the Arctic Ocean, is an area of growing strategic importance due to its proximity to U.S. competitors like Russia and China.

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