With the receding sea ice a new reality is taking hold in the Arctic. The purpose of this article is to explore Norway’s defence and security challenges in the region in light of this development. It is argued that we need a broader analysis of the parameters of security policy. Structuring the article is an analytical distinction between security challenges according to whether they inhere principally at the international, regional or national level. The different levels do not exist in isolation, but as a means of structuring an analysis of security challenges in the Arctic, it is a productive division. It is argued that there is a good chance of a civilized Arctic in the future, and softer national security challenges are likely to take precedence. However, one should not lose sight of international and regional security challenges.