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CONTACT: Mercedes Morris | ng.wi.wiarng.mbx.wi-pao@army.mil | 608-242-3050
by Wisconsin National Guard Public Affairs
CAMP DOUGLAS, Wis. — Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC) will host the annual Northern Lightning Counterland exercise Aug. 5-16, which includes approximately 1,100 personnel from 19 Air Force, National Guard, and Marine Corps units.
Northern Lightning is a tactical-level, joint training exercise replicating today’s air battle space with current and future weapons platforms. A variety of the world’s most advanced aircraft including F-35A, F-35C and various F-16 configurations will participate in the exercise.
Volk Field CRTC is one of the premier training installations and airspaces in the country, thanks to its expansive airspace and the quality of the training the installation can simulate.
Northern Lightning is one of seven Air National Guard joint accredited exercises held at a Combat Readiness Training Center, and the installation’s reputation as one of the country’s finest training areas continues to grow. Likewise, Northern Lightning has grown into a world-class exercise.
Lt. Col. Michael Cady, exercise director, said he is excited about this year’s exercise, as it builds on last year’s success to provide exceptional training against what he described as the Department of Defense’s pacing threat, China.
“Northern Lightning 24 is focused on advanced combat and our ability to execute in a contested environment with an agile footprint that replicates operational expectations in the Pacific theater,” Cady said. "The desired end state for the exercise is that our Air National Guard and active-duty Airmen, as well as joint partners, are at their best capability level to address the threat with combat power if called to do so in the future."
Pilots and air crews participating in Northern Lightning can expect to operate in a contested environment with adversary aircraft, electronic jamming and simulated surface-to-air threats., Such training is critical to building readiness for the threats and missions the nation faces.
Units from around the country and across all branches of the military will participate in the exercise including: the 115th Fighter Wing from Madison, Wisconsin; the 128th Air Refueling Wing from Milwaukee; the 158th Fighter Wing from Burlington, Vermont; the 187th Fighter Wing from Montgomery, Alabama; Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 311 from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California; the 180th Fighter Wing from Toledo, Ohio; the Air National Guard-Air Force Reserve Command Test Center from Tucson, Arizona; the 179th Fighter Squadron from Duluth, Minnesota; the 178th Attack Squadron from Fargo, North Dakota; the 162nd Attack Squadron from Springfield, Missouri; the 266th Range Squadron from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho; the 284th Air Support Operations Squadron from McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas; the 194th Air Support Operations Squadron from Camp Murray, Washington; the 148th Air Support Operations Squadron from Harrisburg Air National Guard Base in Pennsylvania; the 123rd Air Control Squadron from Cincinnati, Ohio; Marine Air Control Group 48 from Great Lakes Naval Station in Illinois; the 178th Mission Support Group from Toledo, Ohio; and more.
The general public can expect to see an increase in aircraft activity in and around the Camp Douglas area Aug. 5-16. Those living in the following counties can anticipate increased military flight operations in the airspace: Adams, Brown, Calumet, Clark, Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Jackson, Juneau, Marathon, Marquette, Monroe, Outagamie, Portage, Sauk, Sheboygan, Trempealeau, Waupaca, Winnebago, and Wood.
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