Pacific Perspective:Northern Edge 21

From 3-14 May 2021,U.S. Pacific Air Forces is leading Exercise Northern Edge 21.The biannual drills are bringing together a massive joint force of some 15,000 US troops, including six US Navy warships and 240 aircraft,as well as US Army and Marine Corps units.The joint field training exercise draws military personnel from various bases in Alaska and beyond.Under U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, the drills are intended to provide high-end, realistic warfighting training; develop and improve joint interoperability; and enhance combat readiness of all involved.This is achieved by providing a venue for large force and multi-domain operations; tactical training for the full spectrum of conflict; execution and advancement of adaptive basing joint tactics ,techniques and procedures; advancement of live-virtual-constructive capabilities; and support of USI-PC's experimental initiatives,USPAF said.* According to COL Mike Boyer,USPAF NE 21 lead planner: Typically, training happens within your units...but you never really get the volume or the complexity you would expect to see in a modern day conflict.NE 21 allows the joint force to put all the pieces of the puzzle together in the big picture and allows our younger generation within the armed forces to experience what future conflict could feel like in the complexities associated with it.* Among large units taking part are the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group and Carrier Air Wing 11 (CVW-11); the Makin Island Amphibious Readiness Group and embarked 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit;Army 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne);25th Infantry Division, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska;17th Field Artillery Brigade, Joint Base Lewis-McChord,Washington;3rd Expeditionary Air and Space Task Force;53rd Wing,Eglin AFB, Florida; and various total force mobility assets.This firepower makes NE 21 Alaska's largest military training exercise, featuring both virtual and live participation.The service members are conducting training over the huge Joint Pacific Area Alaska Range Complex, the Gulf of Alaska, and the temporary maritime activities area.* Both of the Air Force's newly delivered F-15EX fighter aircraft will participate in the drills, allowing immediate deep-end testing in a complex jamming environment.The jamming environment will include GPS, radar and Link 16 jamming. The other main goal is to assess the F-15EX's interoperability with fourth and fifth generation assets, putting the aircraft in its designated role.So far, the warplane is performing admirably, the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron indicated.Evaluating the advanced cockpit system; large area displays;new helmet and digital Helmet Mounted Cueing System; the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System, which defends both the Eagle and other joint fourth and fifth generation platforms,are all being worked.* The Air Force Times pointed out that NE 21 is practise for how the US might react if tensions in the Arctic boil over.The Russian provocative flights near Alaskan air space last year reached levels not seen since the Cold War. COL Boyer explained: We are looking at what modern warfare could be in the future, and that includes scenarios like incursion into US air space.* Challenges of NE 21 include the snap setting up of a Command and Control centre in a school building; and testing the Air Force's new Agile Combat Employment concept of dispersing aircraft to austere, remote airstrips such as King Salmon, Alaska, the location of Katmai National Park and Preserve; and Cold Bay in the Aleutian Islands.*