ALASKA-BASED F-15S INTERCEPT SOVIET BOMBERS AT GREATER RANGES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP92B00478R000800130001-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 16, 2014
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: May 19, 1988
• Content Type: MEMO

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ALASKAN AIR COMMAND'S 'ARCTIC WARRIORS'
Alaska-Based F-15s Intercept
Soviet Bombers at Greater Ranges
GALENA, ALASKA
Alaskan Air Command F-15 fighters
that scramble from this isolated base
near the Arctic Circle are intercepting So-
viet Tu-95 Bear bombers at greater dis-
tances from U.S. territory to show the
USSR they would be shot down before
reaching cruise missile launch points.
Two F-15s are kept on 5-min. takeoff
alert at Galena Airport. Each aircraft is
armed with four AIM-7 Sparrow and four
AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles to intercept So-
viet aircraft approaching from the Bering
Strait or north polar regions.
The Galena-based F-15s last week began
a temporary alert deployment to Eielson
AFB, Fairbanks, while the 6,500-ft. run-
way here is repaved.
The F-15s at Galena and King Salmon,
Alaska's southern alert site, belong to the
21st Tactical Fighter Wing?a tactical air-
superiority fighter organization, not for-
mally a fighter intercept group. The wing's
air defense significance under the North
American Aerospace Defense Command is
growing, however.
Galena is on the banks of the spectacular
Yukon River only 375 mi. east of the Soviet
coast. It is the closest U. S. fighter base to
the USSR and in an emergency would be
used as a forward base for numerous F-15s.
Ironically, the state-owned airport
where the fighters are based was used by
the Soviets to ferry U. S.-built aircraft to
the USSR in World War 2.
No roads lead to Galena?everything
must be flown or barged in. The famed
Iditarod dog sled trail runs down the fro-
zen Yukon River directly by the runway.
RECORD DISTANCES
F-15 pilots on missions westward from
Galena must maintain constant naviga-
tional awareness of national boundaries
when on challenging intercepts over the
Bering Strait. F-15s shadowing aircraft
over the strait have approached within 35
mi. of the Soviet mainland and within 1-2
mi. of the Soviet's Big Diomede Island.
On intercepts toward the North Pole,
use of the longer-range McDonnell Doug-
las F-15C models and Boeing E-3 AWACS
Airborne Warning and Control Aircraft
have enabled the F-15s to achieve Soviet
bomber intercepts farther north than earli-
er possible. Soviet Bears were intercepted
at record distances of more then 460 mi.
north of Pt. Barrow on Jan. 29 and Apr. 12.
As of May 1, Galena's F-I5s had flown
nine intercept missions for the year against
a total of 17 Soviet aircraft-16 of them
Bear bombers.
More than 300 USAF personnel are as-
Alaskan Air Command F-15 takes off from Galena Airport, one of two airfields where F-15s stand
alert to intercept Soviet aircraft and the clasegf n e
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Emblem for the 5072 Combat Support Soda. at
Galena shows two aircraft streaking toward an
intercept. Green stripe and yellow disk indi-
cates the polar aurora and the "midnight sun."
signed to the base managed by the 5072
Combat Support Sqcin. headed by Lt. Col.
Bob Fleer, who has flown Soviet intercepts
from Galena in both the F4 and F-15.
Temperatures here during winter can
dip as low as ?60F, presenting severe chal-
lenges to Galena's 35 F-15 maintenance
personnel headed by Capt. Kris McKenzie
and Senior Master Sgt. Ikey Ogden. There
are four alert cells at Galena with two of
the cells always holding armed and fueled
F-15s. Two replacement alert pilots are
cycled in every Thursday.
Actual "cold scrambles," where the pi-
lots are called upon for takeoff' within 5
min., are rare except in simulations, accord-
ing to Capt. Frank Palumbo, an F-15 pilot
on alert here. Scrambles with extra time for
takeoff preparation occur more often, Capt.
Steve Saari, another F-15 pilot, said--
For many intercepts, U. S. intelligence
data provide ,some indication that. Soviet
aircraft are- approaching; giving advance
notice ?to the F-IS, AWACS and KC-135
tanker crews when an intercept is about to
be flown.
The tanker crews stand 24-hr. alert at
Eidson, while the AWACS crews are put
on alert at Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage,
when intelligence assessments indicate So-
viet activity is likely. When the F- 15s are
scrambled, a tanker and AWACS are al-
most always also scrambled.' Depending
uporitkeirltelligense and radar data, there
ean be various -stages. of alert readiness
2 or od eor cc 14 7b8y Rt h oe 0N008R0A no rr
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_ASKAN AIR COMMAND'S 'ARCTIC WARRIORS' ?
?
Alert cells at Galena house F-15s armed with Sidewinder and Splirow Maintenance is under way on an F-15 at tar right. Maintenance personnel
missiles. The two alert aircraft are in the closed cells at far left. sometimes launch and recover F-15s at temperatures near ?50F.
? Suitup?The F-15 pilots are notified
they should get into their flying gear and
expect a higher stage of readiness momen-
tarily. This year through May 1 Galena
crews had been ordered on 12 suitups and
King Salmon crews three.
? Battle stations?This stage requires the
suited crevnnember to sit in his aircraft in
the alert cell and to monitor the developing
Soviet situation before starting engines.
Both Galena and King Salmon had had
two of these through May I.
? Runway alerts?This stage involves
starting engines and waiting on the runway
for a command from NORAD to take off.
Neither had had any through May 1.
? Airborne orders?This stage would pro-
vide several minutes of advance notice to
the alert pilots assigning them a specific
takeoff time. Galena had had none of these
alerts through May 1, and King Salmon
had had two.
? Scrambles?Actual takeoffs to intercept
Soviet aircraft from Galena have totaled 10
through May 1, leading to a total of nine
successful intercepts from here through
May I. King Salmon had had five scram-
bles and four successful intercepts through
May 1.
During intercepts the F-15s, KC-135
tanker and AWACS radar aircraft form a
long-range intercept package that together
move toward the Soviet aircraft (Aw&ST
May 25, 1987, p. 64).
Takeoff weights for the alert F-15s with
two wing tanks, two conformal fuel tanks
and eight missiles is 67,500 lb. Afterburner
takeoffs are mandatory. and in extremely
cold temperatures, the afterburners in the
Pratt & Whitney F100 engines can occa-
sionally blow out violently, shooting fire
out the front of the inlets as well as the aft
nozzles.
Once airborne on an intercept, the F-15
pilots first. contact the NORAD Radar
Operations Control Center (ROCC) at An-
chorage, and they are told whether they
will be vectored to the tanker before the
intercept or guided directly to the Soviet
immediately under control of the AWACS
aircraft. During the intercept, the AWACS
'stays at least 100 mi. away from the Soviet
aircraft to avoid exposure to a possible
Soviet fighter threat and to reduce intelli-
gence gathering of AWACS radar capabili-
ties. Both F-I5s and AWACS are selective
in the use of their radio and radar systems
to prevent such Soviet intelligence gather-
ing activity.
F-15s have never encountered Soviet
fighters on intercepts, and under current
rules would not be sent to intercept Soviet
bombers over international waters if radar
data indicate Soviet fighters are present.
This restriction is imposed because the
U. S. does not want a fighter confrontation
that could lead to an international incident.
The KC-I35 tanker, however, will ac-
company the F-15s to within about 10 mi.
of the Soviet aircraft and fly in parallel with
the intercept
The AWACS or NORAD control cen-
ter normally will direct the intercept until
the F-15s are about 25 mi. away from the
target aircraft, although the F-15's radar
could easily acquire the Soviets at more
than 50 mi.
"When we fly the final intercept, we try
to be tactical about it so we are not laying
contrails for visual detection. We therefore
come in from above or below the Bear
because they are normally flying at alti-
tudes where they are laying contrails," Pa-
lumbo said.
If there are two. Bears, the F-15s will
intercept the trailing bomber first, Saari
said. The U. S. crews normally will ap-
proach no closer than about 500 ft. to the
Soviet bomber. "The flight lead will go in
first, while the wingman hangs back in a
supporting position looking to see where
the bomber's tail guns are pointed," Pa-
lumbo said.
The tail guns and aft fuselage guns on
the Bears have never been seen to track F-
15s joining on the bombers, Saari said.
The lead F-IS pilot will take photos of
the Soviet bomber and radio a formal air-
radar control center. The other F-15 then
comes up also to take pictures and fly in
formation with the Soviet bomber. Soviet
crews will sometimes wave to U. S. pi-
lots?but U. S. pilots normally do not wave
back, since they are escorting an enemy
bomber approaching U. S. territory.
The Soviet bomber crews will occasion-
ally start gentle turns into the F-15s when
the Soviet pilot secs the F-15 pilot taking
pictures. This can disrupt the photo ses-
sions if the F-15 pilot has to maneuver to
maintain clearance. A twin Bear formation
will also occasionally perform and weave
or change places in the formation, forcing
some reaction from the F-15 pilots to main-
tain clearance?although these may be just
lead-change maneuvers, as opposed to in-
terference maneuvers.
The U. S. aircraft will fly in formation
with the Soviets as long as they maintain a
course near or parallel to Alaska or Canada
or until fuel levels force termination of the
intercept. The Soviets have always re-
mained over international waters, and
flight safety is the primary concern of the
F-15 crews during the intercepts.
Intercept crews have been using the ex-
tra range of the F-15C to fly longer inter-
cepts in formation with the Bears. Forma-
tion flight with the Bears for 2 hr. is not
unusual, and on Jan. 29 two F-15s flew
with two Bears for nearly 3 hr. When the
F-15s run low on fuel with a tanker nearby,
they will trade off shadowing the Soviet
while the other F-15 flies over to the tanker
for fuel.
F-15s returning to Galena when the run-
way is icy routinely use tail hook engage-
ments to stop. Cables attached to a B-52
brake mechanism are stretched across.the
runway on one end at 700 ft. and the other
at LOCO ft.
When alert F-15s are changed out every
two weeks, the maintenance crews here do
an "integrated combat quick turn" in
whiclithe arriving aircraft is fueled, loaded
with missiles and checked out for alert duty
all within 30-40 min., as if being prepared
aircraft. The F-15s often wiB
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ALASKAN AIR COMMAND'S 'ARCTIC WARRIORS'
New .Soviet Bombers, Fighters :
Heighten*Itlaska's-Strategic'Ro e
ELMENDORF AFB. ALASKA
.???
Two Soviet Bear-G bombers fly a cruise missile strike training mission Command F-15s north of the Aleutian Islands. Note the cruise missile
toward Alaska on July 10. 1987. They were intercepted by Alaskan Air racks near each inboard engine and multiple intelligence antennas.
rrhe new Soviet Blackjack supersonic
.1. bomber is expected to be sent on strike
training missions against Alaska this year,
and the USSR has recently deployed new
long-range MiG-31 Foxhound fighters to
its coastal bases near the state.
The 1,300-mi.-range MiG-31s were
added to short-range Sukhoi Su-15 fight-
ers that have been positioned near Alaska
since the early 1980s, according to USAF
Li Gen. David L. Nichols, commander
of Alaskan Air Command. Soviet intro-
duction of the advanced Sukhoi Su-27
Flanker air superiority fighter to this the-
ater also is expected soon, Nichols said.
The USSR continues to increase the
number of cruise missile strike training
missions flown against Alaska by the Tu-
95 Bear-H and Bear-G bombers, Nichols
said. Through May 1, 18 Soviet Bear
bombers have been intercepted by USAF
Alaskan Air Command F-15s this year.
The new Bear-H bombers fly 8,000-mi.
round-trip missions to Alaska from Do-
Ion air base in the central USSR. The
Bear-H has an unrefueled range of about
5,000 mi., and the flights to Alaska are
believed to be refueled by new Soviet 11-76
Midas tankers. ,
The "Soviet bomber crews On these mis-
sions-gor-,thEiMgh the .san* coded com-
mand-and-control procedures to be carried
out during an. actual nuclear mission
against the U.S. and Canada: Officers here
consider the bomber. flights to be more
than just training missions, regarding them
as combat .patrols in which the Bears
could be loaded with live cruise missiles.
The Soviet polar bomber routes come
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north out of the USSR over the pole, then
south toward Alaska before turning west
and north back toward the USSR. Other
routes come cast out the USSR along the
southern Aleutians and back.
The new Soviet fighters would be used
to protect bombers from attack by U. S.
and Canadian fighters. The fighters also
present a direct threat to the Air Force E-
The addition of new long-
range Soviet fighters to the
region is a significant
development
?
3 AWACS
I5s.
At least part of the Soviet fighter force
is based at Anadyr, about 350 mi. from
Alaska's Seward Peninsula, which juts
into the Bering Strait Anadyr is about
250 mi. from Alaska's St. Lawrence Is-
land. Other nearby Soviet bases capable of
handling both fighters and bombers are
Mys Shmidta airfield, about 300 mi. from
the Alaskan coast, and Provideniya air-
field 200 mi. from the state's mainland.
The MiG-31 has a Combat radius of
1,303 mi., which brings much of Alaska
under, its flight capability. The Su-27
Flanker has a combat radius of .930 mi.,
which'would enable it to fly unrefueled
over western Alaska.
"We have to contend with the fighters,
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aircraft used to control the F-
but our main objective is to get to the
Soviet bombers. That is the reason I see
them having fighters here?to make it
more difficult for us to get to the bomb-
ers," Nichols said.
At least 10 of the new Blackjack strate-
gic bombers are preparing to enter ser-
vice, and the Soviets are starting to outfit
the first Blackjack regiment at Dolon.
The Blackjacks will carry 1,500-mi.-range
AS-15 subsonic, low-altitude cruise mis-
siles.
Like the Blackjack, the new Bear-H
carries the AS-15 cruise missile. Each
Bear-H can carry up to 10 AS-15s with
six mounted in an internal rotary launch-
er and four mounted on the wings. About
60 Bear-H bombers are operational.
A new Soviet ASX-19 supersonic cruise
missile is being developed for the Black-
jack and Bear-H in the early 1990s.
The Bear-G aircraft intercepted near
Alaska are equipped for electronic intelli-
gence gathering and cruise missile 'mis-
sions.- About 40 are in service near
Alaska. Each Bear-Cl can carry two AS-4
Kitchen supersonic cruise missiles with a
range of 250 mi.
Planners here believe that during war,
the Soviets would use the Bear-G to
launch AS-4 cruise missiles against the
Aleutians and mainland Alaska. These
Bear-Cl attacks would be designed to open
a path for fighter-escorted Blackjacks and
Bear-H aircraft to penetrate for launch of
-their AS-15 cruise missiles in southern
Alaska, or from central. Canada.
Diking the early 1980s the Alaskan Air
Command intercented only 10-15 aircraft
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ALASKAN AIR COMMAND'S 'ARCTIC WARRIORS'
per year. Most of those were Tupolev Tu-
16 Badger electronic intelligence aircraft
and Antonov AN-24 twin-engine turbo-
props on ice survey missions. Between
1980 and 1984, only 10 older versions of
the Bear were- intercepted near Alaska.
As the Soviets have changed their nu-
clear doctrine toward greater use of born-
bet/cruise missile attack, they have sent
increasing numbers of Bear bombers on
strike training missions toward Alaska.
During 1987, Alaskan F-15s intercept-
ed 56 Soviet aircraft. Only six of them
were ice survey or electronic intelligence
missions. The remaining 50 were Bear-G
and Bear-H bombers on cruise missile
training runs.
That trend has continued into 1988:
? Jan. 29?Two Bear-H bombers were
intercepted 463 mi. north of Pt. Barrow
and only about 660 mi. from the North
Pole by two F-15s scrambled from Gale-
na. This was the farthest northern inter-
cept of a Soviet bomber flight in the
history of Alaskan Air Command, and
shows the value of using an AWACS to
achieve intercepts in areas where they ear-
lier would not have been attempted. The
F-15s flew in formation with the Soviet
Bears for 2 hr. 53 min., a duration record
for intercept that illustrates the usefulness
of new F-I5Cs with extended range.
? Feb. 2?Two Bear-H bombers were
intercepted '150 mi. northwest of Cape
Lisburne on the northwest Alaskan coast
by two F-15s scrambled from Galena.
The F-15s escorted the Bears to a point
100 mi. north of Pt. Barrow off the
North Slope. At that point the flight also
was intercepted by three Canadian
Forces Northrop CF-18 fighters scram-
bled from Inuvik, Northwest Territories.
The Canadian- CF-18 crews and their
Boeing CC-137 tanker had been at Inu-
vik for training and ?were informed by
U. S. intelligence to expect participation
in an actual intercept. The joint action
was the first time the Alaskan NORAD
Regional Operations Control Center at
Elmendorf controlled both U. S. and Ca-
nadian fighters during the same Soviet
intercept, showing growing air defense
cooperation.
? Feb. 16?Two. Bear-G aircraft were
intercepted 136 mi. southwest of Cape
Romanzof on the west central Alaskan
coast by two F-15s from Galena.
? Mar. 23?Two Bear-H bombers were
intercepted 280 mi. southeast of Adak in
the Aleutians by two F-15s scrambled
from King Salmon.
? Apr. 4?Two ?c4[-.j bombers were
-L
Soviet Bear-H strategic bomber that can carry a total of 10 AS-15 cruise missiles was intercepted
over pack Ice off northern Alaska on Aug. 18, 1987.
intercepted 90 mi. west of Dutch Harbor
in the Aleutians by two F-15s launched
from Galena.
? Apr. 7?Two Bear-G bombers were
intercepted 98 mi. northeast of Dead-
horse near Prudhoe Bay by two F-15s
scrambled from Galena. The two Soviet
bombers approached to within 63 mi. of
Deadhorse.
? Apr. 12?Two Bear-H bombers were
intercepted about 460 mi. northeast of
Pt. Barrow by F-15s launched from Ga-
lena. The Soviet bombers proceeded to
within 137 mi. of Shingle Pt., Yukon
Territory, Canada, before turning away.
The intercept was fully coordinated with
the Canadian Forces air defense control
center.
? Apr. 13?Four Soviet Bear-H bomb-
ers were intercepted by two F-I 5s
launched from Galena. The first pair of
bombers was intercepted 105 mi. north
of Pt. Barrow. Those Bears approached
to within 80 mi. of the Alaskan coast.
As this pair of Bears completed a sim-
ulated strike run and turned north, a sec-
ond pair was detected about 200 mi.
behind the first. An AWACS aircraft de-
tected the second pair, and the Same F-
I5s were vectored to intercept the other
two bombers, which then approached to
within 93 mi. of the Alaskan coast. 0
Soviet Delon Airfield In the central USSR Is base for the lumbers that fly missions against
Alaska. This image was made by the French Spat saterrto 2.4 ? -
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_ 11%,./.
U. S. Bolsters Alaskan Force
To Deter Soviet Bombers
CRAIG COVAULT/ANCHORAGE
Soviet Tu-95 Bear-H bomber flies a cruise missile strike training mission
Alaskan Air Command F-15 fighter. Note the large bombing/navigation
off the north slope of Alaska, where it was photographed from an radome and mid-air refueling probe.
The role of Alaska in defense of North America and as a U. S. base in the Arctic and
Northern Pacific is changing dramatically. Over the next several weeks AV1.4TION
WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY will examine the importance of Alaska from the vantage
point of Air Force F-IS fighter missions over spectacular terrain and the tanker and
Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) night operations being used to
intercept Soviet bombers at remote distances over the Arctic and Aleutian Islands.
The Alaskan wilderness, for years a
vast buffer between North America
and the Soviet Union, is rapidly be-
coming the focus for both defense against
a growing Soviet bomber threat and the
projection of U. S. air power in the strate-
gically important Arctic and Northern
Pacific.
The U. S. Air Force, Army and Navy
are developing a highly coordinated
"Arctic Warrior" operational force here
to blunt Soviet power and deter the
USSR's frequent intelligence and nuclear
attack exercises in the region.
Major increases in USAF F-15 fighter
capability, radar surveillance and com-
mand and control are being added and
combined with more joint operations with
the Army, Navy and Canadian Forces.
Seven or more U. S. military commands
now routinely operate here.
Alaska, which extends to within 2 mi.
of Soviet territory, is increasingly impor-
tant to U. S. and Soviet military planners
as both a strategic and local theater of
operation.
SOVIET NUCLEAR DOCTRINE
From a strategic perspective, Alaska's im-
portance has grown over the last three
years as Soviet nuclear doctrine has
changed. The revised doctrine places
greater emphasis on new long-range
bombers, such as Tu-95 Bear H and
Blackjack aircraft. These bombers are de-
signed to fly over the Arctic to launch
cruise missile attacks against southern
Canada ard the lower 48 states.
In operations designed to train air
crews and assert Soviet power in the re-
gion, the Soviets launch Bear bombers
about every 14 days on nuclear strike
training missions, which approach as
close as 50 mi. of the Alaskan coast with-
out violating U. S. airspace. During 1987,
the Soviets launched 50 Bears on such
strike training missions, and as of May 1,
1988, they have flown 18 additional Bears
on simulated attack runs. All of the
bombers have been intercepted by Alas-
kan Air Command F-15 fighters.
From a local theater perspective, Alas-
ka is the only state that could be attacked
directly by nearby Soviet ground forces. It
also is the only state over which advanced
Soviet fighter aircraft would roam unre-
fueled to escort the bombers and support
Soviet ground attacks. In a recent move,
the Soviets deployed new long-range
fighters to eastern Soviet bases just 30-
min. flying time from Alaska.
The Soviet bomber threat to the U. S.
over the Arctic is "significant and grow-
ing" according to U. Gen. David L.
Nichols, commander of the USAF Alas-
kan Air Command. He said that in con-
trast with Soviet actions, the U. S. does
not fly B-52 strategic bomber strike train-
ing missions 50 mi. off the coast of the
USSR.
Nichols also commands the Alaskan
NORAD region for the North American
Aerospace Defense Command. He also
34 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/May 9, 1988
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? ALASKAN AIR COMMAND'S 'ARCTIC WARRIORS'
' Tz3
Alaskan Air Command McDonnell Douglas F-15s based at Elmendorl AR, and four Sparrow missiles. F-15 pilots must be extremely careful to
Anchorage, fly patrol over the Alaska Range armed with four Sidewinder watch their fuel status when flying over vast Alaskan terrain.
11 aria c cif i rl
commands a third organization called
Joint Task Force Alaska, a multiservice
organization that manages overall defense
coordination in the region.
"Soviet cruise missiles have changed
the value of air superiority and air defense
in Alaska," Nichols said. "We now play
more of an overall role in the defense of
North America, where earlier it was
strictly a regional role." Alaska's spectac-
ular terrain, enormous size and extremes
of weather bring unique challenges to
flight operations here. During midwinter,
it is dark most of the day and mainte-
nance crews can face flight-line tempera-
tures as low as ?50F with ?100F wind
chill factors.
Alaska covers 586,000 sq. mi., and if
the length of the mainland and Aleutians
were superimposed over the lower 48
states, they would span from coast to
coast. Its rugged Mountain ranges, gla-
ciers and Arctic flatlands encompass an
area about one-fifth the size of the entire
lower U. S., and it has more than 33,000
mi. of coastline?five times that of the
lower 48 states.
USAF operations are centered on three
.major bases, two small forward bases and
13 isolated radar sites. As the strategic
importance of Alaska has increased over
the last two years, so have the resources
the Defense Dept. has provided to this
northern frontier.
Among these resources are better F-15
capabilities. The Tactical Air Command's
21st TAC Fighter Wing, based at Elmen-
dorf AFB here is receiving the last of 33
new McDonnell Douglas F-15C/D fight-
ers, replacing 24 older F-15As. Nichols
has requested that 11 additional F-15s be
added to bring the total to 44 intercep-
tors. The new F-I5Cs have much better borne Warning and Control Sqdn. are
radar systems and conformal fuel tanks, permanently based at -Elmendorf. The
providing 400-naut.-mi. greater range. AWACS radar airrrnft nnui
Elmendorf also serves as headquarters
of Alaskan Air Command, the Alaska
NORAD Region and Joint Task Force
Alaska.
Another resource buildup is an addi-
tional F-IS squadron. The 54th TAC
Fighter Sqdn. was activated here last May
to better manage F-15 crews and aircraft.
The new squadron operates with the 43rd
TAC Fighter Sqdn., which has been oper-
ational for years. Both squadrons would
like to grow to 24 aircraft each under a
44-aircraft wing.
F-15s from the two squadrons stand on
5-mM. takeoff-alert at two Alaskan Air
Command forward bases. The two alert
aircraft at Galena, a state-operated airport
280 mi. northwest of Anchorage, cover So-
viet bomber incursions in the Bering Strait
and off the north slope. The two alert F-
15s at King Salmon airfield, about 255 mi.
southwest of Anchorage on the Bering
Sea, cover intercepts near the Aleutians.
Better command/control capability
also has been established. Two Boeing E-3
AWACS aircraft from TAC's 962nd Air-
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15s to reach Soviet bombers in AT
areas so distant that they had earlier been
considered indefensible because of a lack
of radar and communications surveil-
lance. The E-3 radar aircraft and its 20-
_ .
member crew routinely stand alert when
intelligence data indicate a Sovidstrike
training mission is likely.
RADAR CREWS
AWACS aircraft have been permanent-
ly based here for only about 18 months,
and the radar crews and F-15 pilots
said they are just beginning to learn the
true potential of using AWACS and F-
15 as a team in this operational air de-
fense environment.
At the same time, significant im-
provements and additions to ground-
based radars in both Alaska and Cana-
da are creating?for the first time?a
continuous long-range network around
North America to warn against bomber
and cruise missile threats. In addition,
new radars being added in the Aleu-
tians will inaugurate air defense radar
coverage of the entire chain. Previously,
only the northern third of the Aleutians
was covered.
The planned installation of 52 new
North Warning System (NWS) radars
to replace the old distance early warn-
ing "Dew Line" radars across Alaska
and Canada is already significantly im-
proving overall coverage. The three new
NWS radars now installed in Alaska
are providing a 25%. range increase
over the old Dew Line systems. Eventu-
al addition of an Alaskan-based over-
the-horizon backscatter radar will
further improve ground-based radar
coverage.
Strategic tanker support has im-
proved as well. Up to 15 Boeing KC-
135 tankers are based at Eielson AFB,
near Fairbanks, to provide the aerial re-
fueling support crucial to Alaskan oper-
ations. Of these, 8-11 are supplied as
part of the Strategic Air Command's
Tanker Task Force, under which SAC
crews rotate to Alaska for 40-day tours.
USAF Boeing E-3 AWACS Airborne Warning and Coqtrol Aircraft flies a radar patrol near Mt.
McKinley. The E-3 is assigned to TACS 962nd Airborne Warning and Control Sqdn.
In addition, recent activation of the Air
National Guard's 168th Air Refueling
Sqdn. at Eielson provided four addition-
al full-time KC-135s for Alaskan refuel-
ing duties.
At least one tanker is always on alert
to refuel F-15s on intercept missions.
The large tanker task force, managed
by SAC's 6th Strategic Reconnaissance
Wing, is also based at Eielson to refuel
U. S. strategic bombers en route to the
Soviet Union if that ever became neces-
sary during a nuclear war.
In addition there is a growing empha-
sis on the tactical deployment of Alas-
kan-based Air Force and Army forces
to any trouble spots in the Pacific and
Europe because of the proximity of the
state to great circle flight routes over
the North Pole.
There also is emphasis on the use of
massive Alaskan flight training ranges
with their varying weather and terrain
to better train units from the lower 48
states in Pacific and European scenari-
os. The 343rd TAC Fighter Wing and
its 18th TAC Fighter Sqdn., with 24
Fairchild A-I0 aircraft based at Eiel-
son, are the focal point for tactical ini-
tiatives here. The Alaskan A-10s have
just returned from a deployment to Ko-
rea.
Emphasis is also increasing on the ac-
quisition and use of special intelligence
here. Better use of U. S. intelligence-
gathering capabilities in the Arctic and
North Pacific is enabling the Alaskan
F-15s and AWACS aircraft to achieve
more successful Soviet bomber inter-
cepts. The Strategic Defense Initiative
is making greater use of Alaskan assets
to obtain intelligence on Soviet ballistic
missile tests fired toward the Soviets'
Kamchatka peninsula, which extends, to
within 350 mi. of U. S. territory here.
SDI PACKAGES
The focus of this effort is Shemya AFB,
at the western end of the Aleutian chain
1,500 mi. west of Anchorage. The SDI
Organization has based its "Queen
Match" sounding rocket program at
Shemya. The Queen Match project in-
volves launching sensor packages into
space to observe selected Soviet missile
tests from high altitude?an activity the
Soviets are protesting.
In addition to the_rocket activities at
Shemya, RC-135 electronic and optical
intelligence aircraft operated by SAC's
6th Strategic' Reconnaissance ?Wing
stand alert at the isolated base ready to
monitor Soviet missile testi. A new RC-
135X optical aircraft is about to be put
in service at Shemya. Space Command's
Cobra Dane phased-array radar at She-
mya also has intelligence gathering as
its primary role.
The overall defense of Alaska" in-
volves a complex multiservice arrange-
36 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/May 9, 1988
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?
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ALASKAN AIR COMMAND'S 'ARCTIC WARRIORS'
ment - spread among four military
commanders from the Army, Navy and
Air Force. Many officers believe the
Alaskan command structure should be
improved because of the strategic and
economic importance of the Pacific Ba-
sin and the concentration of Soviet ac-
tivity in the, region.
SOVIET ACTIVITY
All commanders agree that U. S. air
power based in Alaska is vital to the
defense of the Pacific. In spite of Alas-
ka's role and the-concentration of Sovi-
et activity here, the primary
organization for defense of the Pacific is
the U. S. Pacific Command, headed by
a Navy admiral based in Hawaii, nearly
2,500 mi. away.
One problem this creates is defense of
the strategically important Aleutians.
The land defense of the Aleutians is
managed out of Hawaii by Pacific Com-
mand, while the land defense of main-
land Alaska is managed by the head of
Alaskan Air Command at Anchorage.
Nichols and other commanders be-
lieve it would be better if the command-
er of Alaskan Air Command had coordi-
nation responsibility for defense of both
the Aleutians and mainland Alaska.
USAF and the Navy work aggressive-
ly together under the Arctic Warrior
joint philosophy, which is continually
being refined to make the existing com-
mand structure work in spite of its
shortcomings, Nichols said.
The first in a series of major joint
USAF/Navy exercises occurred in 1986
when four F-15s were deployed to the
Naval Air Station on Adak, in the cen-
tral Aleutians. That was followed by an
interoperability conference with the
Navy and the development of standard
USAF/Navy operating procedures for
the Arctic and Northern Pacific.
Another action in 1986 was a com-
bined USAF, Navy, Canadian and Aus-
tralian exercise. As part of the exercise
an entire Navy battle group visited sev-
eral Alaskan ports, and Navy fighters
from the USS Constellation flew dissim-
ilar air combat sorties against Alaskan
F-15s and dropped live ordnance on the
Alaskan ranges near Eielson AFB. Data
link tests were conducted between an
Air Force AWACS and a Navy Grum-
man E-2C radar aircraft.
That cooperation was continued in
May, 1987, when five Alaskan F-I5s
were deployed again to Adak, this time
to participate in a major Aleutian de-
fense exercise in connection with the
Army, Navy and Coast Guard.
Another key battle exercise in the
Aleutians involving the Alaskan Air
Command and the Navy's Third Fleet
was completed last November.
These activities included the first in-
tercept of a Soviet Bear flight by Alas-
kan-based Navy F-14s and Air Force F-
15s.
Air-superiority and air-defense train-
ing are being intensified here for both
the Alaskan strategic and tactical the-
ater scenarios.
During March, the 21st TAC Fighter
Wing, AWACS aircraft, tankers and
other elements conducted an "Arctic
Cover" exercise simulating dozens of
air battles and intercepts over Alaska in
a strategic scenario that included 145 F-
15 sorties.
That was followed by NORAD's
Amalgam Warrior exercise Apr. 18-29,
.-ADAK
'NAVAL,- AIR STATION
Main U. S. Air Force and Navy operating bases in Alaska are shown in the state. Airfields at Galena and King Salmon are forward bases where
relation to Soviet military airbases within a few minutes' flying time of F-15s are kept on alert.
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ALASKAN AIR COMAND'S 'ARCTIC WARRIORS'
when more than 60 aircraft and over
1,000 U. S. and Canadian personnel
here conducted 575 sorties,. many of
them simulated air battles over Alaska,
duplicating a strategic attack by the
USSR. During the exercise KC-135 and
KC-10 tankers transferred more than
1.6 million lb. .of fuel in aerial refuelings
over Alaska.
Of the units participating in Amal-
gam Warrior, more than 50 aircraft and
800 personnel were flown into Elmen-
dorf from other U. S. and Canadian
bases for training in the Alaskan air de-
fense environment. Canadian Forces
Brig. Gen. Ronald L. Bell, who is also
deputy commander of the Alaskan NO-
RAD region, was director of exercise,
illustrating the growing cooperation be-
tween U. S. and Canada here.
The permanent NORAD Canadian
Forces contingent at Elmendorf has
grown from about seven people two
years ago to about 35 today. It is ex-
pected to increase to about 50.
OVERLAND INTERCEPTS
This is the second successive year such
a major air defense exercise Was held in
Alaska, following its initiation in Cana-
da in 1980. During the 1987 exercise
more than 71 aircraft flew 688 air de-
fense sorties focusing on low-altitude
overland intercepts. Canada will host
the exercise in 1988, then alternate with
Alaska.
Another air defense initiative has
been the deployment of F-15s to Dead-
horse Airport near Prudhoe Bay on the
north slope of Alaska, demonstrating
the ability to place fighters at an ex-
tremely northern location.
The objective was "to let the Soviets
know they do not own the North Pole,"
Nichols said.
F-15s were first sent to Deadhorse in
August, 1986, to demonstrate logistic
support and fighter operations there in
the benign summer weather. During
that deployment,.F-15s intercepted a
TAC NKC-135 electronic jammer air-
craft 370 mi. north of the coast. At the
time, this was Alaskan Air Command's
farthest northern intercept.
In March, 1987, as a follow-up, four
F-1 5s and key logistics support, such as
portable Tacan and portable runway ar-
resting gear, were again sent to Dead-
horse, where maintenance crews faced
?50F temperatures and average wind
chill temperatures of ?70F.
The command wanted to prove it
could intercept a target traversing the
pole in connection with a harsh winter
deployment. Four F-I5s, including one
piloted by Nichols, took off from Dead-
horse and, supported by an AWACS
and KC-135 tanker, intercepted a B-52
bomber 850 mi. north of Alaska. The F-
15s then continued north to achieve the
first fighter sweep over the North Pole
before returning directly to Elmendorf,
logging 3,000 mi. on the sortie.
The exercise flown in the older F-
15As indicated that the new F-15C air-
craft with added range would enable
the U. S. fighters to loiter over the Sovi-
et polar threat routes.
In April, 1987, four more F-15s con-
ducted a similar operation?this time
out of isolated Shemya AFB at the far
end of the Aleutian chain, thus demon-
strating the ability to counter Soviet in-
cursions in the Aleutians as well.
In addition to these strategic air de-
fense exercises designed to counter Sovi-
et bombers headed for the lower 48
states, new exercises are being devel-
oped to prove coordination between the
Army, Navy and Air Force in defense
of Alaska as a local theater. This is an
area that could be attacked by multiple
Soviet ground and air forces.
A continuing program is the use of
the A-10 aircraft and the associated
Rockwell OV-10 turboprop forward air
control aircraft from Eielson to work in
connection with Army troops on large
"Calfex" live-fire exercises on a range
near Fairbanks. The Army is planning
to have as many as 10,000 troops devot-
ed to Alaska by the end of 1988.
The A-10s were deployed to Nome in
1987 for tactical exercises on the Sew-
ard Peninsula, the area lying closest to
the USSR.
Larger theater exercises are com-
manded by the Joint Task Force Alas-
ka, and a substantial effort in this area
was the "Brim Frost" exercise in 1987,
which involved the Army, Navy, Air
Force and Coast Guard.
More than 130 aircraft and 24,000
personnel were used to fight multiple
aggressor teams that spread throughout
the state. Exercise play centered on de-
fense of critical assets, such as Alaskan
command centers, early warning radar
sites and the Alaskan pipeline, which
carries 20% of the U.S. oil supply.
More than 2,000 aircraft sorties and a
million miles were flown during the
course of this battle exercise, which in-
volved the deployment of Alaskan
forces throughout an area equal in size
to all of Western Europe. 0
Soviet Bear-H bomber is intercepted by an F-15 from Xing Salmon intercepted near the Aleutians on Mar. 23 by F-15 pilot Maj. Michael
Airport where F-15s stand 5 min. takeoff alert. This Bear-I1 was Kissick and Capt. Raymond BroyhM of the 54th PAC-Rghter Sqdn.
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