Live-Virtual-Constructive operations increase sphere of Northern Edge 2009

  • Published
  • By Marine Sgt. Zachary Dyer
  • Northern Edge 2009 Joint Information Bureau
ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Northern Edge 2009, a joint exercise for units under the U.S. Pacific Command, is the largest military training exercise in Alaska and one of the largest joint-training exercises in the U.S. military. 

Northern Edge, hosted by Alaskan Command, is so large because of its Live-Virtual-Constructive setup that allows servicemembers from across the globe to take part. Through L-V-C, Northern Edge has the capability to move from a real-time large-scale exercise to an all out simulated battle. 

"What (L-V-C) does is allow for quite a number of platforms to participate who we just can't afford to bring here to play in the live venue," said Steven Hatter, the Alaskan Command Joint Training and Ranges Administrator. "What it really allows us to do is concentrate heavily on the command and control aspect of this (Pacific Command) war plan." 

The live aspect of L-V-C is the real-time missions flown by pilots of various Air Force, Navy, Marine and Army units participating in Northern Edge. The virtual side is comprised of combat-ready crews operating in simulators on bases as far away as Kadena Air Force Base, Japan. The constructive portion of L-V-C is the computer generated combat platforms, both friend and enemy, fed into simulators and scenarios, according to Lt. Gen. Dana T. Atkins, the commander of Alaskan Command and 11th Air Force. 

Two key agencies responsible for managing the virtual and constructive facet of the exercise are the Air Force Distributed Mission Operation Center at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., and the Navy Warfare Development Command in Newport, R.I. 

"They are the scenario generators, and the critical enablers of this exercise," explained Hatter. "If those two agencies aren't there and don't participate, then we can't do this."
Northern Edge is the largest L-V-C event in the Department of Defense, and this is the third year that the exercise has incorporated Live-Virtual-Constructive operations into the joint training missions. "Each year the coordination has improved, and participants in the exercise are already commenting on the what L-V-C brings to the table," according to Hatter. 

"As we look at the challenges ahead for the DOD, and the increasingly complex global environment, Alaska has a lot to offer in the terms of jointness and the Alaskan range complex training space," explained Hatter. "Not only for live, but as we build up the architecture for Live-Virtual-Constructive, we'll be able to link up to any place in the world and put together what I would call 'one-stop-shopping' for training for joint task force commanders. We can scratch whatever itch they have."