U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Andy Ngo, an Arkansas native and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense specialist assigned to the Chemical Biological Incident Response Force, participates in a polar plunge during cold weather training at Camp Dawson, Feb. 10, 2026. (Amy Espinoza/U.S. Marine Corps)
The Marine Corps plans to expand its presence in the Arctic by bringing more troops to Alaska for longer periods.
“Campaign-Alaska” is a new, two-part strategic initiative to increase Marine numbers and know-how in austere “High North” environments, the Marines said in a statement released Saturday.
“The Arctic is a region of growing strategic importance,” said Gen. Eric M. Smith, commandant of the Marine Corps. “The Marine Corps must be prepared to operate and win in its extreme conditions.”
The campaign has two key elements: the Marine Rotational Force-Alaska (MRF-Alaska); and a Supporting Arms Liaison Team-Alaska (SALT-Alaska).
The MRF will bring Marines to Alaska on a rotating basis for training on how to live and fight in extreme cold environments.
The SALT will be a permanent Marine force at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, the Anchorage-area base shared by the Air Force and the Army. The Marines do not plan to establish their own installation in Alaska.
The Marines said the initiative is being taken to follow the 2026 National Defense Strategy that prioritizes key terrain in the Western Hemisphere from the Arctic to South America as “vital for homeland security.”
The Marines did not say what unit size would be set for the rotational or permanent forces in Alaska.
U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Johnathan Plumey, a military police officer assigned to the 4th Law Enforcement Battalion, prepares to defend his position during force-on-force training in support of exercise Arctic Edge 26 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, March 2, 2026. (Eli A. Rose/U.S. Air Force)
As a first step, a permanent detachment of the 6th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO) will be established at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
The 6th ANGLICO can coordinate close air support, call in supporting artillery and rocket fire, direct naval gunfire from ships, and integrate allies and coalition firepower operating in the same area.
Sending more troops to Alaska was praised by Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, who said it would give the United States “elite, expeditionary” units available in the region.
“For nearly a decade, I have been working to increase the United States Marine Corps’ presence in Alaska, and today’s announcement is a major milestone in that effort,” Sullivan said in a statement. “As a Marine who served for 30 years, I could not be more excited to see the Marine Corps making this commitment to Alaska.”
Under Marine Forces Northern Command, the Corps will train its force to conduct “persistent, multidomain expeditionary training and experimentation in Alaska.”
By fiscal year 2027, SALT-Alaska will provide a persistent Marine Corps presence, ensuring continuity in Arctic operations and positioning the force for rapid expansion when needed, the Marines said.
The initiative will include increased Marine participation in joint exercises in Alaska such as Arctic Edge and Red Flag.
“In this era of strategic competition, Alaska is critical to homeland defense and a vital theater for global power projection in the Arctic,” said Lt. Gen. Bobbi Shea, the commanding general of Marine Forces Northern Command. “Campaign-Alaska is a deliberate and necessary step to ensure we provide the Joint Force with a combat-credible force to support the National Defense Strategy.”
U.S. forces in Alaska currently include the U.S. Army’s 11th Airborne Division, based at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson near Anchorage. Part of the division is stationed at Fort Wainwright, near Fairbanks. JBER is home to the 11th Air Force, which centers on Alaska defense.
U.S. Marine Sgt. Matthew Blake (right), and Lance Cpl. Wesley Heinrichs, both gunners assigned to the 3rd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, demonstrate how to aim the FIM-92E Stinger Missile weapon during Arctic Edge 2026 near Fort Greely, Alaska, on March 6, 2026. (Caleb Roland/U.S. Air Force)
Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks is home to the 354th Fighter Wing, and hosts the annual Red Flag arctic air combat exercises.
The Marine forces will complement the existing Army and Air Force units in Alaska, said Capt Steven J. Keenan, a Marine Corps spokesman.
“The specific assets deployed with MRF-Alaska, including aviation, sensing, targeting, maneuver and sustainment capabilities are tailored to the requirements of each rotation, bolstering the Joint Force while expanding critical Marine cold-weather training opportunities,” Keenan said.
Additionally, the ANGLICO acts as a “connective tissue” for a variety of forces working together in Alaska.
The combination will “drive innovation in Arctic warfare, enhancing overall Joint Force interoperability in the High North,” Keenan said.
