A herd of special forces huskies patrol thousands of kilometers of white snow in Greenland

Amidst the white snow in Greenland, an army of dog sleds, equipped with heavy weapons, is rushing through the wilderness. They are Denmark’s legendary Sirius Sled Dog Patrol, trained to endure hunger, frostbite and months of isolation in Greenland – one of the world’s harshest lands.

For about five months each year, the patrol conducts long-range reconnaissance missions through the frozen Arctic, where winter is shrouded in darkness and temperatures drop to minus 55 degrees Celsius – enough to break human bones.

In Greenland’s icy Arctic – where modern military vehicles cannot operate – the Sirius patrol remains the front line of defense. Named after Sirius – the brightest star of the Great Dog constellation – this unit is the only sled dog task force in the world, patrolling where regular troops cannot go.

Every fall, six dog sled patrols – each consisting of two soldiers – set out to patrol an area the size of England and France combined. Their mission lasted up to 5 months, in almost absolute isolation, testing their mental and physical endurance. Since 1950, they have traveled more than a million kilometers by dog ​​sled, an average of 15,000-20,000 kilometers per year

The Sirius team operated from 1941 during World War II as the North-East Greenland Sledge Patrol, whose mission was to detect and destroy secret Nazi weather stations. After the war, the unit was disbanded and re-established in 1950 under the name Operation Resolut, changing to Sirius in 1953.

The selection process for Sirius is among the most difficult in the world. Candidates must undergo extreme physical tests and psychological tests to ensure they can endure prolonged isolation. Those who pass will face at least eight months of intensive training, learning everything from hunting and survival to sewing and veterinary care.

Patrolman Jesper Olsen remembers having to jump into icy water during training to simulate a sled accident, then surviving for five days alone with minimal supplies. He hunted Arctic hares and bison for food and slept in self-dug snow caves.

Meanwhile, about 95 native Greenland huskies are carefully selected by naval veterinarians and renewed every year. Each child worked for about 5 years, pulling a total of more than 20,000 km before retiring. They can sleep outdoors even in temperatures down to minus 50 degrees Celsius, playing the role of transport, companion and early warning of danger.

Each dog sled patroller usually has a standard service period of about 26 months. During this time, patrols were only allowed to return to civilization for short periods of time, and contact with family was virtually non-existent. Instead, they form unbreakable bonds with Greenland huskies.

The huskies let out a characteristic growl when the polar bear approaches, giving soldiers time to draw their 10mm Glock pistols or M53 rifles. Each sled, pulled by 11 to 15 dogs, traveled an average of about 30.5 kilometers per day through thick ice and snow fields. At night, soldiers take refuge in high-tech tents or remote huts scattered along the patrol route.

Greenland’s icy, white snow creates a close relationship between the patrol and the dogs. However, at the end of the journey, they had to say goodbye to each other in tears.

Ramus, Jesper’s companion, understood that better than anyone. He remembers all the names of the sled dogs – from the proud leader Johan, the cheerful Sally or the troublemaking Indy. The dog named Armstrong is considered a legend because he served until his 10th winter – twice the service time of most dogs in the Sirius team. Armstrong has towed the car at least 40,000 km, more than once around the equator, and now, its career is gradually coming to an end.

Sirius Base has no place for dogs to retire. And dogs – which are actually closer to wolves than pets – cannot be adopted. They must be killed humanely and this is done by the patrolmen themselves using pistols. Both Rasmus and Jesper say it’s the hardest part of the job.

Currently, many tour operators organize expeditions to Greenland by icebreaker. However, almost no unit offers the option to meet this legendary sled dog team in the program.