US Air Force special operations forces are eyeing powered gliders to resupply troops far from friendly supply lines

A US Air Force MC-130J aircraft flies above Iceland Aug.

23, 2026.

Tech.

Sgt.

Benjamin Sutton/US Air Force Air Force special operators are testing powered gliders for long-range resupply in Iceland.

The low-tech systems could help move gear without revealing troop position.

The training reflects a broader push to sustain dispersed forces in contested environments.

US Air Force special operations forces are exploring whether they can use powered gliders to deliver supplies, including medical gear, to small teams operating beyond the reach of reliable supply lines.

During an ongoing international exercise in Iceland, Air Force Special Operations Command personnel plan to airdrop a powered glider packed with supplies to teammates on the ground.

Like similar military efforts examining aerial drones and ground robots , the unit is trying to learn how to sustain troops in future fights where conventional resupply may be too difficult or dangerous.

In a future conflict, particularly one in the Arctic or other remote environments, aircraft and ships may not be able to regularly move supplies to troops on the ground because of enemy threats or the sheer distance supply efforts would need to cover.

"We specifically want to train in long-range resupply in contested environments," the mission commander for the 352d Special Operations Wing, who was unnamed, said in an Air Force news release on Exercise Northern Viking 2026.

The US has been increasingly focused on the Arctic, often referred to as the "High North" .

Melting Arctic ice is opening new sea routes and increasing access to waters and resources that were once harder to reach, making it an area of growing strategic competition for the US and its NATO allies, Russia, and China.