Defense
US Marine Corps/Lance Cpl. Cody J. Ohira
US Marines assigned to Alpha Battery, 2nd Low Altitude Air
As the US military's attention shifts back to great-power competition, particular focus is being paid to the potential for conflict in the extreme conditions found at northern latitudes and higher elevations.
Late last year, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller cautioned Marines stationed in Norway that he saw a "big-ass fight" looming and urged them to prepare. The Army and Marines have rolled out a variety of uniform and gear changes that underscore preparations for cold-weather warfare.
In February and March, more than 1,500 US soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines, gathered in Alaska for Arctic Edge 18, "to train military forces to fight and win in the Arctic," according to Air Force Lt. Gen. Ken Wilsbach, head of Alaskan Command.
This year's version of Arctic Edge was the first of its kind in more than three decades and covered more than 1.5 million acres on the ground and 65,000 miles of inland air space. It included a table-top exercise that covered 42,000 nautical square miles in the Gulf of Alaska.
Below, you can see the rigorous training and harsh conditions encountered by US servicemembers scattered across a 1,100-mile swath of frigid Alaskan wilderness: