By THE ALASKA STORY
June 6, 2026 – More than 2,100 military personnel from the United States and allied nations are now participating in RED FLAG-Alaska 26-2, a large-scale combat training exercise that spans Alaska’s largest training area in the world, and reinforces the state’s growing role in Indo-Pacific defense strategy.
The exercise began May 28 and runs through June 12, using approximately 120,000 square miles of airspace within the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex. Operations are centered at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage.
The training event brings together forces from the US Air Force, Army, Royal Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, and the Republic of Singapore Air Force. The multinational exercise is designed to improve interoperability among allied forces by allowing aircrews and support personnel to train together in realistic combat scenarios.
The exercise comes as the United States increasingly focuses military planning and force projection on the Indo-Pacific region, where concerns over regional stability and strategic competition continue to drive defense priorities.
Activities at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson began with a C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan. The aircraft conducted a joint airborne operation involving the airdrop of two door bundles and 50 paratroopers from the Army’s 11th Airborne Division.
Capt. Zachary Tarble, air officer for the 11th Airborne Division’s 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, said the training helps prepare forces to operate together across vast distances and challenging environments.
Alaska’s geography makes it uniquely suited for large-scale military exercises. The state’s expansive airspace, diverse terrain, and proximity to the Arctic and Pacific theaters allow American and allied forces to simulate operational conditions that would be difficult to replicate elsewhere.
Military officials say RED FLAG-Alaska is designed to replicate the challenges of modern Indo-Pacific operations while providing opportunities for allied nations to refine tactics, techniques, and procedures in a realistic threat environment.
The exercise also highlights Alaska’s increasing strategic importance as the Pentagon continues to shift attention toward the Pacific and Arctic regions. Eielson Air Force Base and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson have become key hubs for advanced fighter aircraft, airlift operations, missile defense, and multinational military training.
