176th Wing Airmen Participate in Noble Defender Rescue Exercise
HH-60G Pave Hawk aircrew of 210th Rescue Squadron simulate combat search and rescue tactics by locating and evacuating a simulated downed pilot in Southcentral Alaska. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Kelly Willett/Released)
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Alaska Air National Guardsmen of 176th Wing participated in the Operation Noble Defender search-and-rescue/personnel recovery (SAR/PR) exercise Jan. 19 to 22, 2021, in Southcentral Alaska.
Noble Defender is a North American Aerospace Defense Command Arctic air-defense operation.
“The Noble Defender exercise series seeks to support a variety of campaign objectives for both the NORAD Command and U.S. Northern Command,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Joseph Alkire III, 611th Air Operations Center deputy commander. “While the Noble Defender series can exercise a wide range of activities, objectives center around the demonstration and ability to conduct agile combat employment principles across the North American area of operation while strategically messaging U.S. and Canadian bi-national defense of the homelands.”