Exercise Northern Edge Exercise Northern Edge is Alaska ' s premier military joint training exercise . Alaskan Command ( ALCOM ) uses expansive Alaskan training ranges to conduct this joint training operation . History . Jack Frost 1975 – 1977 and 1979 . Northern Edge evolved over the years from the Jack Frost , Brim Frost and Arctic Warrior exercises . The first of these was Jack Frost ' 75 , an Alaskan Command - sponsored exercise , which ran from January 7 to February 14 , 1975 . Jack Frost ' 75 focused on joint operations and training in an Arctic environment . Jack Frost ' 76 marked the beginning of the exercises sponsored by the United States Readiness Command . Jack Frost ' 77 exercised command and control techniques and procedures for joint task force operations . Later that year , US Readiness Command learned that the nickname , Jack Frost , was prohibited by JCS publications . The command received approval for the name Brim Frost , and the final Jack Frost exercise ran in 1979 . Brim Frost 1981 , 1983 , 1985 , 1987 and 1989 . Brim Frost ' 81 was sponsored by US Readiness Command . Brim Frost 83 was conducted from January 10 to February 11 , 1983 . Brim Frost ' 85 began December 10 , 1984 and concluded January 24 , 1985 , with more than 18 , 000 military troops participating . All three of these operations exercised the ability of Joint Task Force Alaska to conduct winter operations . Brim Frost ' 87 involved more than 24 , 000 active and reserve Army , Air Force , Coast Guard , and Navy personnel . More than 143 Air Force aircraft , 130 Army aircraft , and five major Coast Guard cutters were employed during Brim Frost ' 87 . Brim Frost ' 89 , sponsored by Forces Command , involved more than 26 , 000 troops and cost $ 15 million . This exercise involved numerous communications initiatives such as Airborne Warning and Control System ( AWACS ) aircraft , satellites , and electronic intelligence . Brim Frost ' 89 was to include more than 26 , 000 troops , however nearly all of the units that were slated to participate dropped out of the exercise following the crash due to extreme weather of a Canadian C - 130 military transport plane and the death of 9 Canadians at Ft . Wainwright in Fairbanks , Alaska . The only units to participate were the 4th and 5th Battalions of the U . S . Army ' s 9th Infantry Regiment , 6th Infantry Division , some units of the Alaska National Guard and their necessary support units . During this exercise temperatures as low as - 80 F and colder were reported along with a North American - record high atmospheric pressure of 31 . 85 inches . The Official temperature recorded in Fairbanks , Alaska was - 67 F . Arctic Warrior 1991 . Arctic Warrior ' 91 replaced the Brim Frost exercises with the reestablishment of Alaska Command in 1990 . It also transferred the exercise sponsorship from Forces Command to Pacific Command . The exercise ran from January 25 to February 6 , 1991 . It featured live fire and had more than 10 , 000 troops participating . Northern Edge 1993 – 2004 . The first Northern Edge exercise kicked - off in 1993 . This exercise was scaled in comparison . ALCOM designed it to be an internal training event for the headquarters and component headquarters staffs . The exercise emphasized the joint operations , campaign planning and logistics planning . Northern Edge ' 94 field training exercise ran from March 11 to March 18 , 1994 . This exercise , considerably larger than 1993 , involved more than 14 , 600 military personnel . ALCOM activated the joint task force Northern Edge in response to a simulated National Command Authority mission that provided forces to conduct peace enforcement operations . To add realism , the Red Cross , International Medical Corps , Feed the Children and other non - government agencies participated . Northern Edge ' 95 and ' 96 each consisted of three phases , and included more than 14 , 000 personnel participated in the joint exercise . This exercise tested and validated ALCOM ' s ability to field a deployable joint task force . Northern Edge ' 97 , with more than 9 , 000 personnel , divided its field training into two parts , held in different locations . Major air and ground maneuvers were held at Fort Greely . The naval harbor defense portion was held at Seward , Alaska . Planners focused on night high - tech activities , air interdiction , deep strike missions and the land maneuver forces during conventional ground combat . Northern Edge ' 98 kicked off with a mass airborne drop of 600 troops in training areas southeast of Fairbanks , while maritime forces began protecting the harbor in Ketchikan . The mock town of Simpsonville was used for joint live fire exercises , which became a pivotal part of the field training . Apache helicopters supported a brigade air assault and more than 1 , 200 sorties assisted air operations . The USS Ingraham ( FFG 61 ) was the high value unit for the port security portion of the exercise and the U . S . Marine Corps Fleet Anti - terrorism Security Team ( FAST ) was the main defender . Northern Edge ' 99 included a night airborne mass jump , a brigade air assault , more than 1 , 200 air sorties flown , theater missile defense , information operations , harbor defense , and a three - day and - night live fire at Simpsonville . During Northern Edge 2000 , there were a number of live - fire exercises , an airborne operation , and multiple close air support missions flown . A robust theater missile defense cell took part in the exercise by conducting anti - ballistic missile operations against a simulated attack . Global Hawk , an unmanned aerial vehicle ( UAV ) , made its first appearance in Northern Edge providing battlefield commanders with near real - time aerial imagery . The scenario for Northern Edge 2001 facilitated unit level training , theater engagement , and joint operations in a cold climate . Additionally , the naval exercise emphasized joint and combined port security and harbor defense operations in a friendly host nation . The highlight of the naval exercise , for the second year in a row , was the use of trained dolphins to help detect underwater intruders . Northern Edge 2002 had the benefit of training with crews from an aircraft carrier and its accompanying support ships . The USS Abraham Lincoln ( CVN 72 ) operated from the Gulf of Alaska , and its aircraft , including the new F - 18 Super Hornet , flew into the interior of the state to hone their warfighting skills training with and against other military participants . Some of the skills practiced include air interdiction against main supply routes , precision strikes , combat search and rescue of downed aircrew and tactical airlift support . The area around Valdez served as the backdrop for the maritime activities and ground defense maneuvers , which centered on protecting the visiting USS Dubuque ( LPD 8 ) and the Valdez Marine Terminal . The war in Iraq forced the scope of Northern Edge 2003 exercise to contract , but it was still the state ' s largest annual joint training exercise . The exercise focused on homeland defense scenarios and incorporated theater missile defense , force protection , air - to - air fighter aircraft engagements , joint exercises , combat search and rescue , harbor defense and maritime operations . Northern Edge 2004 . More than 9 , 000 Airmen , Sailors , Marines , Soldiers and Coast Guardsmen from active duty , reserve and National Guard units participated in Northern Edge 2004 , which focused on air - centric tactics and procedures with an emphasis on air - to - air , air - to - ground and personnel recovery operations in remote areas of the Pacific Alaska Range Complex near Fairbanks , Alaska and over water in the Gulf . While traditionally held in the cold weather months , for 2004 , Northern Edge was moved to June to accommodate the worldwide scheduling of combat forces and availability of the carrier strike group . Held from June 7 through June 16 , 2004 , Northern Edge training focused on air - centric tactics and procedures with an emphasis on air - to - air , air - to - ground and personnel recovery operations in remote areas of the Pacific Alaska Range Complex ( PARC ) near Fairbanks , Alaska , and over water in the Gulf . Though most flight operations went according to plan , naval aviators frequently operated in low visibility conditions with thick cloud ceilings over the Gulf . Along with aircraft from Carrier Group Seven , several other air units participated , including the Pacific Air Forces , 1st Marine Aircraft Wing from Okinawa , Japan , and several fighter units from Pacific Air Forces , robust aerial tanker support , multi - service helicopter support , and a fighter unit from Mountain Home AFB , Idaho . The carrier USS John C . Stennis ( CVN 74 ) paid a port visit to Esquimalt , British Columbia , between June 18 – 21 , 2004 , and carried out bi - lateral exercises with the Canadian Navy between June 22 – 29 , 2004 . Carrier Strike Group Three also paid a port visit to Pearl Harbor between June 22 – 26 , 2004 , prior to RIMPAC 2004 . Subsequent Northern Edge exercises focus on homeland defense / homeland security operations during odd - numbered years and on joint warfare operations during even - numbered years . Alaska Shield / Northern Edge 2005 . Northern Edge 2005 was combined with the State of Alaska ' s homeland security exercise called Alaska Shield which incorporated federal , state and local organizations in natural and human - made disaster and terrorist - related scenarios in an inter - agency environment . After more than a year ' s worth of planning and preparation , the U . S . Northern Command , in coordination with the State of Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and other federal , state , and local government partners conducted Alaska Shield and Northern Edge 2005 from August 15 – 19 , 2005 . This exercise provided a wide range of simulated natural disasters and terrorist events in 21 communities throughout Alaska designed to train military and civilian " first responders " and test organizational and integration skills at all levels of government . This exercise was considered a capstone event for Alaska ' s three year Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Plan . Scenario elements and venues included an earthquake in Juneau , bio - terrorism in Ketchikan and Juneau , critical infrastructure protection at Fort Greely refinery , and terrorist attacks in various cities throughout Alaska . Northern Edge 2006 . Northern Edge 2006 was a joint training exercise from June 5 – 16 , 2006 . The exercise was aimed at helping prepare forces to respond to crises in the Asian Pacific region . Approximately 5 , 000 US active duty and reserve component soldiers , sailors , airmen and marines participated in the exercise by executing defensive counter - air , close - air support , air interdiction of maritime targets and personnel recovery missions . The exercise involved over 110 aircraft and two US Navy destroyers . The USS Chafee ( DDG 90 ) based its operations out of Seward and the USS O ' Kane ( DDG 77 ) participated out of Homer . Alaska Shield - Northern Edge 2007 . Northern Edge 2007 combined with Alaska Shield , the State of Alaska ' s homeland security exercise , from April 30 - May 17 , 2007 . The purpose of the exercise was to provide local , state , federal , DoD , and non - governmental organizations and agencies the opportunity to participate in a full range of training scenarios that prepared participants to respond to a national crisis . This was the largest response readiness exercise in the history of the State of Alaska , involving more than 75 agencies and approximately 7 , 000 people . Military and civilian participants worked together to intercept aircraft , respond to attacks on the Trans - Alaska Pipeline system and the North Pole Industrial Complex , and conducted medical evacuations after mass casualty incidents . Northern Edge 2008 . Northern Edge 2008 was held May 5 – 16 , 2008 . More than 5 , 000 participants from five of the United States Armed Forces ( Air Force , Army , Navy , Marines and Coast Guard ) from active duty , reserve and National Guard units were involved . Northern Edge 2009 . - Operation Northern Edge was held between 15 – 26 June 2009 . This joint exercise provided real - world proficiency in detection and tracking of units at sea , in the air and on land and response to multiple crises , with approximately 9 , 000 U . S . active - duty and reserve - component military personnel participating . It was designed to be an air - centric exercise to train units in joint air operations tactics and command and control in a cost - effective and low - risk environment , with more than 200 aircraft from every branch of the U . S . military involved . Lt . General Dana T . Atkins , USAF , the commanding general of Alaskan Command and Eleventh Air Force , noted : Northern Edge operations was conducted within the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex , which includes more than 60 , 000 square miles ( 155 , 399 . 29 square kilometers ) of air space , and the Gulf of Alaska , which encompasses 50 , 000 square miles ( 129 , 499 . 40 square kilometers ) of air space . On 22 June 2009 , during the Northern Edge exercise , Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin visited the nuclear - powered aircraft carrier . " Stennis " ( " pictured " ) was the flagship of Carrier Strike Group Three which also consisted of carrier Carrier Air Wing Nine ( CVW - 9 ) and the guided - missile cruiser .