By Dan Sullivan, U.S. Senator (R-Alaska)
Dear Alaskan,
Alaska has long been on the front lines of defending the United States. During World War II and throughout the Cold War, our state played a central role in protecting the homeland. But after the Cold War, that focus shifted, and the Pentagon began to treat Alaska like a strategic backwater—closing bases, shuttering armories, and proposing reductions in force levels.
Since I was elected Senator, working with Alaskans across the state, I made it a priority to reverse this trend and reestablish Alaska as a cornerstone of America’s defense. Because of this effort, we are now in the midst of the most significant military buildup in Alaska since World War II.
Just last week, at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, General Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed that the Administration’s budget includes a major new investment: the Fighter Town Recapitalization Project at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. This historic project will modernize JBER with a state-of-the-art fighter complex capable of supporting multiple platforms for decades to come, with a total investment of $7 billion, likely the biggest military investment in our state’s history. This project will not only significantly strengthen our national security and power projection in the Arctic but will also bring a significant economic boon to our state.
In 2022, Alaska’s 4/25 Infantry Brigade Combat Team was reflagged to become the storied 11th Airborne Division, now one of only two airborne divisions in the entire U.S. military. This outcome did not happen by accident—it followed years of sustained effort I led pushing back against proposals that would have reduced or hollowed out the brigade, including direct engagement with senior Pentagon leaders, public advocacy, and close coordination with Alaska’s military and community leaders to underscore the unit’s strategic value. These efforts helped secure the 4/25’s future and elevate its mission, marking a true sea change in the Pentagon’s approach to the Arctic by recognizing Alaska is a central platform for projecting American strength and defending the homeland.
The momentum didn’t end there. Eielson Air Force Base now hosts two squadrons of F-35s, and together with F-22s at JBER, Alaska now has more than 100 fifth-generation fighters, the largest concentration of these advanced aircraft anywhere in the world.
We have also strengthened our refueling capabilities by securing additional KC-135 tankers at Eielson Air Force Base—bringing critical support aircraft, personnel, and families to the Interior. On missile defense, the Long Range Discrimination Radar at Clear Space Force Station is now operational, enhancing our ability to detect and defeat advanced threats, alongside upgrades to the COBRA DANE radar and new missile interceptors at Fort Greely.
This buildup is significantly boosting our state’s economy and providing good-paying jobs for Alaskans. But it’s also keeping our homeland safe. It comes at a time of increasing aggression from our adversaries in the Arctic. Since 2019, there have been more than 100 Russian aircraft incursions, four Chinese vessel transits, and over a dozen joint Russian-Chinese operations off Alaska’s coasts and in our airspace.
In recent hearings I chaired, both in Anchorage on Arctic maritime investments and in the Senate Armed Services Committee on military readiness, senior military leaders made clear these incursions are becoming the new normal—coordinated efforts by Russia and China to test America’s defenses and resolve in the Arctic, making these military investments more important than ever.
Taken together, these developments underscore a simple reality: Alaska is once again being recognized for what it has always been—the cornerstone of America’s Arctic defense. We are rebuilding the military strength that our state requires, our nation depends on, and sending a clear message to our adversaries that the United States is prepared to defend our interests in the Arctic and beyond.
Sincerely,
Dan Sullivan
United States Senator
