Arctic naval operations of World War II

The Arctic[note 2] was initially dominated by the Soviet Northern Fleet of a few destroyers, with larger numbers of submarines, minesweepers, and torpedo cutters supported by icebreakers.

The success of the 1940 German invasion of Norway provided the Kriegsmarine with naval bases from which capital ships might challenge units of the British Royal Navy Home Fleet.

Escorting cruisers typically maneuvered outside the formations, while a larger covering force including battleships and aircraft carriers often steamed nearby to engage Kriegsmarine capital ships or to raid the German naval bases in Norway.

[5] A branch of the Pacific Route began carrying Lend-Lease goods through the Bering Strait to the Soviet Arctic coast in June 1942.

Westbound tonnage through the Bering Strait totaled approximately 10% of North American wartime goods sent to Soviet Arctic ports.

Destroyers Diether von Roeder and Wolfgang Zenker landing troops at Narvik
HMS Warspite supporting Allied troops at Narvik
Burning fish oil tanks on Lofoten viewed from HMS Legion during Operation Claymore
Tirpitz waiting in Norway for another Allied convoy
HMS Edinburgh during the battle for convoy QP 11
HMS King George V with bow damage from collision with HMS Punjabi
KG 26 He 111 torpedo planes attacked convoys PQ 15, 16 and 17.
U-255 , painted white for arctic camouflage, returning to base after attacking convoy PQ 17
Convoy PQ 18 under attack by KG 30
SBD Dauntless dive bomber from USS Ranger during the Bodø airstrike
Aircraft carriers of Operation Tungsten preparing for an airstrike on Tirpitz .
USCG cutter Northland operating off Greenland
Soviet Northern Fleet ships carrying landing parties for the Petsamo–Kirkenes Offensive