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The large-scale Northern Edge war games commenced a week ago in and off the coast of Alaska. An estimated 15,000 service members from the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Air Force and Navy are participating in the two-week event along with six ships and 240 aircraft. The Air Force’s newest fighter jet, the F-15EX Eagle ll, is among the warplanes deployed for the exercise. Northern Edge is its maiden flight in terms of military drills. The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, an amphibious ready group and embarked 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit are also involved .
Joint exercise of US forces in Alaska mimics ‘what future conflict could feel like.’ The word mimic is perhaps intentionally misleading.
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US Army Alaska/Benjamin Wilson
The Arctic strategy released by the Army in March reflects the US military s increasing focus on the region.
While the Army has long operated in Alaska, it s looking abroad to learn more about handling harsh conditions and tough terrain.
In March, the Army became the latest military branch to release an Arctic strategy, titled Regaining Arctic Dominance, outlining how it will pursue the Defense Department s goal of defending US interests in that increasingly accessible region.
The Army is still determining what materials, training, and infrastructure it will need, and officials say it will also need to draw on the knowledge and experience of allies that operate in extreme cold weather, on mountainous terrain, and at high altitudes.