by Channel 2 News staff
Monday, June 15, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- More than 9,000 people from all branches of the military are in Alaska for a training exercise called Northern Edge.

It features 200 aircraft, including B-52s, F-16s and Blackhawk Helicopters.

This year the nuclear-powered Super Carrier, the USS John C. Stennis, will operate out of the Gulf of Alaska with more than 70 aircraft and 500 sailors.

Northern Edge is expected to last through June 26.

http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=10538371


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NORTHERN EDGE 2009 is a joint training exercise scheduled for June 15-26, 2009. It is Alaska's premier joint training exercise designed to practice operations, techniques and procedures, and enhance interoperability among the services. Over 9,000 participants from all the services, Airman, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen from active duty, reserve and national guard units are involved.

Participants will sharpen their skills by practicing operations, techniques, and procedures. This improves Command, Control and Communication relationships, and develops interoperable plans and programs. NE09 provides the opportunity to hone current and test future applications of combat operations and weapon capabilities. This joint training event provides effective, flexible and capabilities-centered joint forces ready for deployment worldwide and enables real world proficiency in detection and tracking of units at sea, in the air and on land, and response to multiple crises. For questions please call the Northern Edge Joint Information Bureau at (907) 552-2896.
Alaskan command is grateful to the citizens of the state of Alaska for their support as we use our expansive training ranges to conduct these critical joint training operations.


http://www.elmendorf.af.mil/alcom/northernedge/index.asp

Reserve Raptor fighter pilots discuss Northern Edge 2009
ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska – Reserve F-22A Raptor pilots Lt. Col. John Hillyer and Maj. Kevin Sutterfield gave live on-air radio interviews to disc jockeys at local Anchorage radio stations June 11. The two pilots from Air Force Reserve Command’s 477th Fighter Group discussed the upcoming joint training exercise Northern Edge 2009. U.S. military units stationed in the Continental United States and the Pacific Theater will participate in the joint training exercise June 15-26 on and above central Alaska ranges and the Gulf of Alaska. Northern Edge is one in a series of U.S. Pacific Command exercise in 2009 that prepare joint forces to respond to crises in the Asian Pacific Region. The exercise is designed to sharpen their skills, to practice operations, techniques, and procedures, to improve command, control and communication relationships, and to develop interoperable plans and programs. Approximately 9,000 U.S. Active Duty and Reserve component Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and marines will participate with more than 200 aircraft from all the services. Northern Edge is the largest military training exercise scheduled in Alaska this year with virtual and constructive participants covering nine time zones exercising alongside live players. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Andrea Knudson)

http://www.elmendorf.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123154477

One feature of Northern Edge 2009 designed to increase the scope of the exercise is its Live-Virtual-Constructive operations that combine real-time operations with aircrew participating in aircraft simulators and computer generated combatants. Through the L-V-C aspect of Northern Edge, servicemembers from nine different time zones, some as far away as Virginia, are able to participate in the exercise.


http://www.elmendorf.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123154722

Additional Marines are also supporting from Marine Air Control Squadron 4 out of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan. Also from Futenma, Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 is operating at Elmendorf Air Force Base. In all, approximatley 290 Marines and sailors from III Marine Expeditionary Force are participating.