U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) writes in the Alaska Dispatch News that “Alaska’s military capabilities play another incredibly important role for our country as global threats increase. Significant U.S. military investments are being made in Alaska that should help us weather our uncertain economic challenges.”  

“As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I’ve been relentlessly promoting Alaska’s strategic location, and how our state constitutes three pillars of America’s military might. We are the cornerstone of America’s missile defense, we are the hub of air combat power and training for the Asian Pacific, and we are a vital expeditionary platform for some of America’s best-trained troops who can rapidly deploy to threats anywhere in the world.”  

He adds: “We need to build on these positive developments and keep this momentum going. For example, we need make sure that the 4/25 remains in Alaska, and I’ll continue to fight to bring even more troops to our state. I’ve been working closely with the director of the Missile Defense Agency to take full advantage of the existing infrastructure for potential missile defense testing in Kodiak. With our incoming F-35s and the existing F-22s at JBER, Alaska will soon be home to more than 100 fifth-generation fighter aircraft. I’ve communicated to Secretary of Defense Ash Carter that it only makes strategic sense that those aircraft be supported by a new fleet of Air Force tankers like the new KC-46 Pegasus.”