By Focus | 2025-08-26

Two major US-led military exercises are under way at various locations in and around Alaska, underscoring the twin priorities of defending North America and projecting power into the Indo-Pacific, participants say.

More than 6,400 service members, 100 aircraft and seven US and Canadian vessels are participating in Northern Edge 2025 (NE25), a joint field-training exercise led by US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) involving all US services as well as the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).

This year the Northern Edge annual exercise coincides with Arctic Edge 2025, a North American Aerospace Defense Command and US Northern Command (NORTHCOM) annual exercise.

The two exercises are occurring concurrently for the first time, with activities spanning across the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex (JPARC), Gulf of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands all the way to Adak Island in the Bering Sea.

Arctic Edge began August 1 and continues until the end of the month. NE25 runs from August 17 to 28.

NE25 "brings together multi-domain capabilities in high-end warfighting to ensure readiness to deter and, if necessary, defeat any adversary," US Air Force Brig. Gen. Rick Goodman, NE25 exercise director, said in a statement.

"Additionally, NE25 allows the joint force to work through posture and sustainment, specifically here in Alaska."

Power projection

Aside from tactical readiness, the exercise emphasizes supporting Indo-Pacific priorities. Alaska's military bases put US fighters, bombers and airlift within hours of Asia and can support rapid reinforcement across the Pacific.

"One of the key objectives of the exercise is the cross-combatant command coordination between INDOPACOM and NORTHCOM," Goodman said.

"This highlights the criticality of Alaska as a key strategic geographic location important to homeland defense, as well as power projection should we find ourselves in a conflict in the Indo-Pacific."

By executing operations simultaneously, the two commands are able to integrate missions and demonstrate their ability to practice and sustain operations around Alaska, according to Goodman.

"Arctic Edge is focusing on the homeland defense here in Alaska, and Northern Edge is going to add on a very specific layer of power projection and that high-end war fighting capability," he added.

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is participating in NE25 along with other elements of the US Navy's Carrier Strike Group 3 (CSG 3).

These include Destroyer Squadron 21 -- the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS O'Kane, USS Michael Murphy and USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. -- as well as the nine squadrons of 4th- and 5th-generation aircraft of Carrier Air Wing 9.

"The mission of US Navy carrier strike groups is to deliver sea control and power projection wherever the nation needs us," CSG 3 commander Rear Adm. Todd Whalen said in a statement.

RCN and RCAF assets include the Halifax-class frigate HMCS Regina and the Airbus CC-150 Polaris refueler, according to the Pentagon.

Members of all US services are participating across multiple domains, with the US Army conducting cyber operations, while RCN and RCAF members are fully integrated with US Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force mission sets.

Operating locations in Alaska include Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Eielson Air Force Base, Allen Army Airfield, King Salmon, Cold Bay, Fairbanks International Airport, Ted Stevens International Airport, Juneau International Airport, as well as Fairchild Air Force Base and Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington.

Continental defense

NE25 is one of several operations in which the Canadian Armed Forces are participating over the summer and early fall.

"Asserting sovereignty in the Canadian Arctic is becoming ever more important as our adversaries increase their activity in the region," Canadian Minister of Defense David McGuinty said in a statement.

"These northern operations also create excellent opportunities for strengthened collaboration with our allies and partners," he said. "Ensuring that Canada's North is well defended is a critical component of maintaining a secure North American homeland."

Canada's Operation LATITUDE, while focused on domain awareness and interoperability in the Western Arctic, will see HMCS Max Bernays depart to the Indo-Pacific on Operation HORIZON immediately following LATITUDE, linking continental defense training with allied readiness in the region.

"The detection, deterrence and defense of Canada against any potential threat [are] a core mission of the Canadian Armed Forces, as is the defense of North America in partnership with the United States," Lt. Gen. Steve Boivin, commander of Canadian Joint Operations Command, said in the statement.

"These operations strengthen Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic and directly contribute to the security of our shared continent."

"The training that we can do in the JPARC, we can't do anywhere else," said US Air Force Lt. Col. Eric "HAVOC" Hakos, commander of the 353rd Combat Training Squadron. He noted it enables supersonic and low-level flights, high-end threat simulations and realistic long-range targeting against near-peer adversaries.

Alaska's unique training environment ensures US and allied forces are ready to meet the challenges of contested operations and support the shared vision of "a free and open Indo-Pacific region," according to a Pentagon statement.