Nearly 1,000 participants from the Navy and the Air Force took advantage of Alaska’s vast airspace for two weeks as U.S. forces from across the globe took part in the third Cope Thunder exercise of the year at Eielson Air Force Base.

While the 68,000 square miles of military training airspace over interior Alaska was soupy and marginal most of the two-week period, operations ran as normal. Despite snow-covered grounds, taxiways and runways, the flight line was alive with Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 138 and VAQ-133 EA-6B Prowlers as they took part in the myriad of blue and red air exercises.

Even though the Yellow Jackets and Wizards were the only Navy squadrons to participate in Cope Thunder, there were Air Force squadrons from Germany, Japan, Guam, Georgia and Alaska participating, incorporating F-16s, F-15s, B-1Bs, A-10s, KC-135s, HC-130s, and HH-60G type aircraft. The two-week event took place out of both Eielson and Elmendorf Air Force bases.

Cope Thunder comes up to Alaska four times a year offering realistic combat training that prepares units for deployments.

“This exercise takes advantage of molding together and learning together,” said Col. Bob Wright, commander of Cope Thunder Alaska.

The exercise usually had three to four events a day to simulate combat situations including: training for the suppression of enemy air defenses, air to air combat, close air support, combat search and rescue, and time sensitive large force strikes. The Cope Thunder military operating airspace included mock airfields, buildings, hangers, towers, radar surface to air missile sites, and areas for dropping live ordinance.

A full electronic warfare range was available for the Yellow Jackets and the Wizards to bring their electronic jamming to the fight.

Throughout the exercise, aircraft were susceptible to simulated enemy radars, simulated enemy surface to air missile launches, and aggressor aircraft.

Several aircrew and over 100 maintainers from both VAQ-138 and VAQ-133 made the trek to northern Alaska for the exercise.

While the six jets from the two squadrons performed well, the two-week det was not without its issues. Logistical problems of getting parts out of NASWI and up to Eielson provided challenges.

Maintainers had to work around the clock to keep the jets at top performance, and crews had to put in long days of planning to execute the missions.

With over 100 hours and 45 sorties flown, the Yellow Jackets and the Wizards definitely got the best out of Cope Thunder. Whether flying aggressor missions or blue force missions, the flying was great and the most was taken out of each flight.

While in no hurry to return to the 20 degree temperatures and snow covered environment of northern Alaska, both squadrons feel comfortable in the fact they got the most out of what the Air Force and Cope Thunder had to offer.