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Based on information released by the U.S. Department of Defense, ICAS has provided the locations and ranges of U.S. air units with fighter jet capabilities in the Arctic region, Alaska.
The United States Air Force currently possess two types of fighters in the region: the F-16s, and the F-22s. Fighter squadrons are currently stationed at two major air bases: Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson located on the southern coast of Alaska and Eielson Air Force Base located in the center of Alaska.
F-22 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
Photo: USAF/Master Sgt. Joshua Jasper
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson hosts the 477th Fighter Group, which currently possesses F-22A Raptor fighter jets.
Eielson Air Force Base hosts the 354th Fighter Wing, which currently possesses F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets.
F-16 at Eielson Air Force Base
Photo: USAF/Senior Airmen Beaux Hebert
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is the headquarters of the U.S. Air Force Alaskan Command (ALCOM) and Alaska’s region of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
ALCOM falls under U.S. Northern Command as a subordinate unified command and is in charge of monitoring and protecting the Alaskan region. Alaskan Command states its mission as “in coordination with trusted partners, conducts homeland defense (HD), civil support, mission assurance, and security cooperation within the ALCOM Joint Area of Operation (JOA) to defend and secure the United States and its interests.”
NORAD is “a binational United States and Canadian organization charged with the missions of aerospace warning and aerospace control for North America.” Alaskan NORAD is responsible for completing the NORAD mission within the state of Alaska and its surrounding waters.
Disclaimer:
Due to technical limitations of the mapping program, this map only depicts air power projection in and directly around the Arctic circle.
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