Spotted on radar tracking websites by hobbyists in Alaska this week was a large drone, which was appearing to take part in the Northern Edge military exercises that have been in the skies over Alaska. (The drone in the photo above is of the type that is in Alaska, an MQ-9B Sea Guardian, but the photo is from the skies of California.)
The drone appeared south of Kodiak airspace on Wednesday, along with what appeared to be a Navy jet.
MQ-9B N390MC by General Dynamics came up the California coast from El Mirage Field Airport, after having recently finished working in the Navy’s Group Sail exercise.
Northern Edge 2023, a joint military training exercise, will continue through May 19. Operating locations include Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Eielson Air Force Base, Fairbanks International Airport, and Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, among others.
Alaskans have noticed a lot more warbird activity in the skies as a result. The training area involved is mainly the 65,000 square miles of airspace above the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, and another 42,000 square miles in the Gulf of Alaska.
About 10,000 U.S. service members, five ships, and more than 150 aircraft are participating this year. Also taking part are military personnel from the United Kingdom and Australia.
