ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Senator Dan Sullivan, a Republican from Alaska, stated that due to the rise in Chinese and Russian activities observed in and around Alaska in recent years, the requirement for a stronger military presence in Alaska has never been more urgent.
Sullivan shared those views while hosting senior U.S. military officials as joint training operations persist across the state.
Besides Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, Adm. Christopher W. Grady, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and U.S. Navy Adm. Samuel Paparo, several other names were being welcomed into the state this week.
We received a briefing from Adm. Paparo and the Northcom Commander, Gen. Guillot, who is currently in town; he is the combatant commander responsible for all of North America," Sullivan stated. "Adm. Paparo and Gen. Guillot collaborate very closely, but we got a briefing from them today that said, 'hey, these incursions will continue, and they are likely to increase.'
We have seen some Chinese so-called research vessels in the northern part of the Arctic throughout much of this summer. They are not just conducting research, believe us. They are engaged in far more than that. We are keeping an eye on them, and this will continue to grow.
We require greater capacity and additional infrastructure.
A graph from Sullivan's office indicates a rise in foreign intrusions since 2019, with the majority of Russian aircraft movements occurring in 2020.
It also outlines joint Russian-Chinese activities that have been identified, including the latest instance in October 2024.
The two annual training events taking place in Alaska are Northern Edge 2025 and Exercise Arctic Edge: a yearly homeland defense drill led by the U.S. Northern Command that showcases the U.S. military's ability to operate efficiently in cold weather conditions across the Arctic region.
As per the U.S. Department of Defense, more than 6,400 personnel, 100 aircraft, and seven American and Canadian ships are involved in this year's Northern Edge 2025 exercise, taking place across various sites within and near the state.
Sullivan welcomed top U.S. officials at the American Legion Jack Henry Post 1 on Tuesday.
"General Guillot and I are here to ensure that we are fully and completely aligned so that the defense of Alaska, the defense of America, is as solid, strong, unbreakable, and secure as it can possibly be," Paparo stated.
Paparo serves as the leader of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, which is overseeing this year's exercise.
For the first time in history, both exercises are taking place at the same time, as stated by Paparo, aiming to demonstrate power during a period when the Indo-Pacific region is becoming "more contested with various sources of threats."
It is crucial to train collectively across all domains, all services, and from key strategic locations to showcase our strength to potential adversaries," Paparo stated. "These are all the reasons why we merged Arctic Edge and Northern Edge, and it's the largest and most powerful exercise ever. We will have the responsibility to continue enhancing and improving it.
Joint exercises involve all branches of the U.S. military across various domains, including cyber activities led by the Army.
Furthermore, the Royal Canadian Navy and Air Force will be completely integrated with the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force mission sets. Canadian resources include the Airbus CC-150 Polaris refueling aircraft and the Halifax-class frigate HMCS Regina.
The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which Sullivan mentioned he was on Tuesday, will take part in the exercise.
That, together with other components of Carrier Strike Group 3, such as 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 fourth and fifth-generation aircraft from Carrier Air Wing 9.
I was on the aircraft carrier this morning. A group of Alaskans, including younger Alaskans, were piloting F35s from that carrier," Sullivan stated. "If you're any American, you should feel immense pride in these young individuals who operate this carrier. They're all around 23 years old, managing this remarkable vessel with 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard.
So, there's a lot happening here in Alaska, and I'm truly honored to have Admiral Paparo with us. He is genuinely one of the outstanding military leaders today. One of the highest-ranking admirals in the United States Navy.
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