The sparse expanses above Alaska are a little more crowded this month as nearly 200 military aircraft are taking part in an annual training exercise.
Nearly 6,000 military members from all four branches of the military are taking part in Northern Edge 2015, which includes naval exercises in the Gulf of Alaska and some operations involving ground troops.
The U.S. Pacific Command exercise, coordinated by command leaders in Alaska, tests the readiness of the nation’s troops and isn’t in response to any increased tensions with any other nation, said Lt. Col. Tim Bobinsky, who is helping lead the exercise.
Northern Edge is normally held every two years, but this is the first exercise since 2011. The government shutdown, or sequestration, forced the cancellation of exercises in 2013.
Bobinsky said Alaska offers the military a unique training opportunity, including 65,000 square miles (12,950 square kilometers) of air space.
“As everyone knows, Alaska is very large,” he said Tuesday. “And because of that we have some great opportunities to have some large training air spaces that give us awesome opportunities to conduct things that we can’t do in very many other places, not just in the United States but around the world.”
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