10,000 troops gear up for massive PACAF training in Alaska
Stephen Losey
Air Force Times
May 9, 2019
U.S. Pacific Air Forces is about to launch a major training exercise at ranges in Alaska and the Gulf of Alaska, that aims to sharpen how troops from multiple services work together during combat or other crises.
Northern Edge 2019, a biennial joint exercise taking place from May 13 to 24, will include about 10,000 troops and 250 aircraft from the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, as well as five Navy ships, PACAF said in a Wednesday release. The Navy’s contingent will include an aircraft carrier from the Pacific Fleet for the first time in a decade.
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PACAF said the exercise is meant to prepare joint forces to respond to events in the Indian and Pacific oceans, and is one of several U.S. Indo-Pacific Command exercises scheduled for 2019. Northern Edge is expected to help them improve their tactical combat skills and command, control and communication relationships, and to develop plans and programs for the joint forces to work together.
Residents of Kodiak, Alaska, have regularly raised their concerns over the exercise and its impact on the environment. In March, local citizens met with Navy and Air Force officials and expressed concerns that marine species and ecosystems could be harmed. They asked for the training to be moved to the fall, to avoid hurting species that are active at this time, and some felt the same issues are discussed year after year without any progress.
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