Increased military activity is expected across the Bering Strait region starting this weekend. The movements are part of Operation Polar Dagger, put on each year by U.S. Special Operations Command North (SOCNORTH).
Military personnel will operate in and around Nome, Savoonga, Gambell, Wales, Tin City, Point Hope and Little Diomede. The annual homeland defense operation will have a larger footprint than in previous years, with teams positioned throughout the Bering Strait.
Lt. Col. Timothy Matson, future operations Arctic and air planner for SOCNORTH, said the expanded operation reflects the strategic importance of the region.
“To cover all entrances and exits of the Bering Strait, or at least demonstrate that the United States has an interest in that strategic sea line of communication,” Matson said of the operation.
Nome will again serve as the operation’s logistics hub. Residents can expect to see C-17 and C-130 cargo aircraft as well as Alaska Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook and HH-60 helicopters. Matson confirmed U.S. Coast Guard cutters will also operate in the region.
No public access areas will be closed during the operation. Matson said the movements have been coordinated with local and tribal governments and that building relationships with Alaska Native communities remains a priority. Before each operation, Matson has met with tribal, city and Native corporation officials to request permission to operate on their lands.
“We respect that unique sovereignty that they have,” Matson said.
He said those meetings have helped build trust over the past several years, while service members have also learned valuable Arctic skills from local residents.
“I said if you guys don't want us here I'm going to get back on those helicopters, and you'll never see me again,” he recalled. “I think our key is we're upfront with the people, and we never take them for granted.”
Matson said he and others from SOCNORTH returned to the region earlier this year to ask for permission to come back for this year’s exercise.
He said work will also continue on installing new high-frequency (HF) radios in villages along the Bering Strait, which could be used during peace or wartime.
“If there was a natural disaster, or they just lost power for whatever reason, there is another way to establish communication with whoever they need to to assist whatever caused the issue. So that's a benefit to the community,” Matson said. “The benefit to homeland defense is these [Alaska] State Defense Force members now have a way to communicate back to the Alaska National Guard any odd things that they see or things that concern them that they might have seen or heard.”
Operation Polar Dagger is coordinated with Alaska Command’s Operation Tundra Merlin as part of broader homeland defense efforts under U.S. Northern Command.
“It's all for homeland defense and in coordinating and making sure we can all work well together,” Matson said. “So let's hope this never happens, but if we are in a time of conflict in the region, that we're all working well together to meet our nation's goals.”
Operation Polar Dagger is expected to begin on Saturday, Aug. 18. Activity in the region is expected to continue through the end of the month.
