Those living around Selfridge Air National Guard Base will notice a massive military presence beginning Saturday. It’s all part of training exercises.
More than 7,500 armed forces members will attend Northern Strike (NS) 25-2, one of the Department of Defense’s largest reserve component readiness exercises. It’s happening across the state from Aug. 2 to Aug. 16.
Participants from 36 states and territories and nine international partners will take part in training scenarios involving homeland security and defense against unmanned aerial systems.
More than 30 fixed wing aircraft offering force protection, support and refueling operations will be involved, as will maritime training scenarios focusing on protecting high-value assets, freedom of navigation operations and tracking and engaging targets.
Training units to test newly developed combat search, rescue and recovery systems will also be on during the exercise.
NS is unique, not only because of its integration of defense innovators and academia, but because it fully reflects the realities service members are facing on today’s modern battlefield,” said Col. Todd Fitzpatrick, land exercise director for NS.
Operations will be conducted at Camp Grayling and at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center. Participants are also conducting training in Lake Huron, Rogers City Quarry, Battle Creek, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airfield and K.I. Sawyer Airfield in Marquette.
“This year’s exercise features full-scale integration with foreign participants to build ally and partner interoperability and is designed to enhance readiness across all domains of warfare with both joint and partner forces. Recent global events have shown just how devastating cruise missiles and small UAS can be to both military and civilian infrastructure,” said Col. Fitzpatrick.
According to military officials, the exercise series also serves as an important boost to the local economy, bringing an average of $38 million to Michigan’s economy annually in military pay, travel and local spending in northern lower Michigan.
The public is being warned that there will be increased traffic on Michigan roads on Aug. 2 and Aug. 16 as personnel travel to and from Grayling. There will also be a variety of aircraft taking part in the exercise with aircraft visible to the naked eye throughout Michigan’s lower peninsula.