Assess
Review the technical situation, identify risks and dependencies, and define the architecture and delivery plan.
Welcome to Gale Force North
Technical leadership for complex systems in real operating environments.
Gale Force North operates in two distinct domains. Cloud & Systems covers software, AWS platforms, infrastructure, and technical project leadership. Field Systems & Operations covers expedition systems, remote operations, equipment, logistics, and technical field support.
Two Operating Domains
Choose the domain relevant to the work.
Operating DomainCloud & Systems
AWS architecture, software systems, infrastructure as code, technical project management, and managed technical delivery.Enter Cloud & Systems →
Operating DomainField Systems & Operations
Expedition preparation, remote operations, communications, equipment, aviation-supported logistics, glacier operations, and field documentation.Enter Field Systems & Operations →Selected Work
Cloud platforms, software delivery, and remote field operations.
What was done, where it happened, and the responsibility GFN carried.
Field Systems & OperationsGreenland Ice Sheet · 2026Swiss Camp Decommissioning
GFN supported glacier and field leadership, expedition preparation, technical equipment, communications, documentation, and helicopter-supported removal work. The operation removed approximately 80% of the material remaining at Swiss Camp.View project →
Cloud & SystemsProduct Architecture · AWS · DeliveryRannís-Funded Software Product
GFN leads product architecture, technical project management, cloud infrastructure, design handoff, hiring, and coordination with external contributors for an Icelandic software startup.View project →
Field Systems & OperationsGreenland Ice Sheet · 2019Air France Flight 66 Fan-Hub Recovery
Arnar joined the field team that excavated the A380 fan-hub fragment beside a crevasse, hauled it to the surface, and prepared it for helicopter transport. The operation later became the subject of Under Ice.View project →
Cloud & SystemsCybersecurity Infrastructure · One-Year LaunchFrostbyte / NCC-IS Lab Buildout
A year-long laboratory launch covering physical servers, Proxmox virtualization, Linux systems, MikroTik networking, GitLab, backup infrastructure, and the hiring and supervision of a student technical team.View project →
Field Systems & OperationsSvalbard · 60 km Arctic RouteSvalbard Expedition Planning & Execution
Planning and execution for an 18-person Arctic expedition, covering route design, transport, accommodation, communications, polar-bear safety, camp organization, authority coordination, and marine extraction.View project →
Cloud & SystemsNokia Bell Labs Collaboration · HPC · EGU 2025Subsea-Cable Seismic Research with Nokia Bell Labs
Research with Nokia Bell Labs and academic partners using high-performance computing to compare earthquake simulations with signals observed on the Iceland-Ireland subsea cable.View project →How GFN Works
Assess, lead, or build.
Engagement starts at the point where the project needs useful technical responsibility.Lead
Take responsibility for technical direction, project management, specialist coordination, and delivery decisions.
Build
Implement or lead defined software, cloud infrastructure, field systems, and operational work through handover.
Founder
Arnar Ingi Gunnarsson
Gale Force North is led by Arnar Ingi Gunnarsson. His background includes software and cloud engineering, teaching programming at Reykjavík University, and applied research in cybersecurity and subsea-cable sensing. He has also worked professionally in mountain and glacier guiding, expedition planning, and documentary production.
About the founderDiscuss a Project