Northern Edge 2015, Alaska’s premier joint training exercise wraps up

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Karen J. Tomasik
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  For two weeks Eielson Air Force Base hosted a record number of Airmen, Marines, Soldiers and Sailors during the Northern Edge 2015 exercise conducted June 15-26.

The exercise brought together nearly 6,000 active-duty, Reserve and National Guard members from all branches of service, including the U.S. Coast Guard, to participate in Alaska's premier joint training exercised designed to practice operations, tactics, techniques and procedures, and enhance interoperability among the services.

"Northern Edge is not RED FLAG-Alaska, and because it is a very difficult animal, it requires a lot of flexibility from aircrew flying," said Col. Stephen Platt, the 354th Operations Group commander and Northern Edge deployed forces commander. "I think they have demonstrated flexibility on a non-standard exercise we haven't done for four years."

This exercise involved approximately 200 aircraft, and more sorties were flown out of Eielson AFB by F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16C Fighting Falcon, FA-18D Hornet, EA-6B Prowler, KC-135 Stratotanker, and KC-10 Extender aircraft compared to a typical RED FLAG-Alaska exercise. Virtual forces operating from simulators tied in from other bases, as well as constructive forces, enhanced the quality of training for live participants across Alaska.

"LVC [live, virtual and constructive forces] is one of the few realistic options we have going forward in our resource-constrained future," said Platt. "It gives us options to do things we either don't have forces for or the capabilities to execute today. LVC is a window into the future of what our forces are going to face. We are growing and maturing rapidly in our LVC capabilities, which increase the value of training our warriors get through LVC."

Throughout the exercise, approximately 800 aircraft maintainers ensured aircraft were ready for operations at a moment's notice.

"The exercise has been a huge success," said Lt. Col. Barton Kenerson, the 354th Maintenance Group commander and Northern Edge maintenance commanding officer. "One huge benefit from this type of exercise is the opportunity for our [Eielson] maintainers to work side by side with other Air Force units and sister services gaining a better understanding of each other's maintenance and logistics doctrine."

Aside from the sheer number of people and aircraft, and the innovative LVC system used to incorporate additional assets into the exercise, the terrain and airspace available in the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex and the Gulf of Alaska training areas for forces to operate in provided another unique aspect to Northern Edge 2015.

"It's a national treasure to have that amount of space to play in," explained Platt. "The airspace in both areas is dramatically different. They provided different looks and experience to test ourselves. The distances are significant, but worth the time and cost to do so."

The opportunity for forces to practice interoperability with units they typically only interact with during deployed operations provided Northern Edge 2015 participants a chance to hone their skills while refining their communication across the services.

"The training that is gained by our maintainers is the cross tell and ability to speak the same language so when we fight our nation's wars with speak the same language and understand each other's strengths and capability to be a much more lethal force in the joint environment," Kenerson explained.

"We've made pretty impressive strides at understanding common tactics, techniques and procedures; it's a challenge anytime we get together jointly," said Platt. "There's no option not to get better at this, and we're continuing to improve. I'm proud of our ability to execute an operations-level exercise like this."