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.

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. This year units from the 9th INF Div., from Ft. Lewis, WA included the 3/34FA and 2/47 Inf deployed in the field to test cold weather operations. Also in 1976 a detachment of the 337th Army Security Agency Company provided electronic warfare training including electronic countermeasures (ECM), electronic counter countermeasures (ECCM) and communications security.

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 '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. Also the 2nd Battalion of the 17th Infantry Regiment who were deployed to Kodiak Island for the duration of the exercise. 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.

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