Northern Edge 2008, the largest air-centric joint military training exercise to be held in Alaska this year, begins May 5 with about 5,000 active duty, National Guard, and Reserve personnel and 120 aircraft participating from bases across the Pacific region. The aircraft include B-52Hs, E-3 AWACS platforms, F-15s, F-16s, F-22s, HC-130s, KC-135s, HH-60 helicopters, and F/A-18 Hornets. Alaskan Command is hosting the event, with most aircraft operating either from Eielson Air Force Base or Elmendorf Air Force Base. They will use the airspace throughout the Pacific Alaska Range Complex and the Gulf of Alaska. (Eielson report)
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
