Category: Alaska

There are 9 military bases in Alaska (AK). Including Air Force Bases, Army Bases and Coast Guard Bases. The largest and most popular bases are Fort Wainwright, Elmendorf AFB, and Fort Richardson.

Other Military bases in Alaska: Clear Air Force Base, Eielson AFB, Fort Greely, ISC Kodiak, Marine Safety Unit ValdezValdez, USCG Juneau,

Alaska, known for its vast and rugged terrain, is strategically important for the United States military due to its proximity to potential hotspots in the Asia-Pacific and Arctic regions. The state hosts several military bases that support various branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, each with its distinct operational focus and capabilities.

The military installations in Alaska primarily concentrate on providing defense capabilities, training, and rapid response to national security needs and regional contingencies. These bases include Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard facilities.

The Army’s presence in Alaska is centered around bases such as Fort Wainwright and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER). Fort Wainwright, located near Fairbanks, serves as a training and mobilization center for infantry and Stryker brigade combat teams. JBER, situated near Anchorage, is a joint installation that supports both Army and Air Force units, offering a wide range of capabilities from air defense to logistics and support.

For the Air Force, bases like Eielson Air Force Base and Clear Air Force Station play crucial roles. Eielson AFB, located near Fairbanks, is home to the 354th Fighter Wing and serves as a central hub for RED FLAG-Alaska, a series of Pacific Air Forces commander-directed field training exercises for U.S. forces. Clear Air Force Station is a key radar station for detecting and tracking ballistic missile launches as part of the early warning system.

The Coast Guard operates several stations and facilities across Alaska, given the state’s extensive coastline and strategic location for maritime operations. These units are involved in search and rescue missions, maritime law enforcement, and environmental protection in the challenging Arctic environment.

Alaska’s military bases are equipped to handle the unique challenges posed by the state’s remote location and harsh weather conditions. They are critical for maintaining a U.S. military presence in the Arctic and Pacific regions, providing rapid response capabilities, and conducting training exercises that prepare troops for various global missions. The bases also contribute significantly to the local economies of their surrounding communities in Alaska.

  • Integrated Support Command Kodiak

    Integrated Support Command Kodiak Facts

    • Location: The city of Kodiak, South central Alaska
    • Website:
      Visit Kodiak Website ›
    • Phone: (800) 833-3489
    • Longitude:
      -152.495384
    • Latitude:
      57.751809
    • DSN:
      N/A

    The city of Kodiak, on Kodiak Island is the most far flung of the destinations in South central Alaska and once the capital of czarist Alaska, the island is now rich in Russian history, as well as naval history and culture. Alaska´s largest commercial fishing fleet docks here and it dominates the economy and gives the place an unpretentious, non-touristy feel. Hunting and sports fishing draw many of the visitors who come to Kodiak, but the biggest reason to visit stands 10 feet tall, has four inch claws, and salmon breath. It is the Kodiak bear, the largest bear on the planet, and more than 3, 000 of them call the island home.

    For 8, 000 years, Alaska´s Alutiiq people had Kodiak Island to themselves, deferring only to the bears. The Alutiiqs lived in semi subterranean homes called barabaras, and survived by polishing their hunting, fishing, whaling farming, and berry picking skills. The beginning of the end of that way of life came in 1763, when Russian explorers showed up.

    The Russians established a fort on the south east side of the island, enslaved the Natives, and forced them to hunt for the furs so coveted in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. During World War II Kodiak was home to a huge US naval base and other fortifications. The old navy yard is now the center of air operations for the Coast Guard in the North pacific. Elsewhere on the island, you can crawl around the old bunkers, gun emplacements, and pill boxes during the war at Fort Abercrombie.

    ISC Kodiak US Coast Guard Float
    Kodiak US Coast Guard helicopter

    The Navy of United States selects Kodiak for their main base due to the ice free waters. It was guarded by the military. The same post currently belongs to the Coast Guard base. Two thirds of Kodiak Island and its neighboring fall within Kodiak National Wildlife refuge.

  • Marine Safety Unit Valdez

    Marine Safety Unit Valdez Facts

    • Location: City of Valdez in Alaska
    • Website:
      Visit Valdez Website ›
    • Phone: (907) 835-7200
    • Longitude:
      -146.348
    • Latitude:
      61.13
    • DSN:
      N/A

    Despite its natural attractions, city of Valdez in Alaska is not just a touristic Mecca. Nor, despite its proximity to the sound, is it mainly a fishing village. On August 1, 1977, when the first tanker of oil issued forth from the trans- Alaska pipeline terminal across the bay, Valdez became an oil town. Though it is hard to ignore the vertical slopes surrounding Valdez, it is just as difficult to ignore the presence of Big oil. Massive storage tanks squat across the harbor and the drive into town along the Richardson Hwy overlooks the pipeline as it snakes its way from the northern oil fields to this famous port. Alaska Valdez is till one of the regions finest areas, Norman Rockwell fashion harbor cradled by some of the highest coastal mountains in the planet, wildlife running amok and glaciers.

    Alaska Valdez provides good hiking, padding and other outdoor sports, additionally some quality restaurants, accommodations and museums as befits a city blessed by the biggest boom Alaska has ever known. Alyeska pipeline Service Company is one of the largest work providers in Valdez but it began to move various parts to its center in Anchorage because the council of town passed a resolution imposing a tax to all the tankers coming into the port. This has had an aftermath in the economy and the size of the population.

    Valdez Military Boat Practice
    US Coast Guard Marine Safety Units Soldiers Valdez

    Marine safety unit Valdez administrates a variety of responsibility. The slogan of this unit is all threats, all hazards, always ready. Marine safety Unit has its center in the city of Valdez Alaska. One of the principal works of MSU is constantly watching the Alaskan maritime environment and managing the incidents that might destroy it. After the great oil spills in 1989 the Marine safety Unit in Valdez Alaska has been prominent in operations around the coast of Alaska.

  • USCG Juneau

    USCG Juneau Facts

    • Location: Alexander Archipelago in Alaska, United States
    • Website:
      Visit USCG Juneau Website ›
    • Phone: (907) 463-2025
    • Longitude:
      -134.4194
    • Latitude:
      58.3016
    • DSN:
      N/A

    The Borough and city of Juneau is a united municipality situated on the Gastineau channel on the Alexander Archipelago in the United States, Alaska State, and is the capital of state. The Alaska Juneau municipality united in 70´s when the city of Douglas assimilates with the city of Juneau and the encircling borough to create the present home rule municipality. The metropolis, Alaska´s 3rd largest in terms of population (after Fairbanks and Anchorage), is curled up at the base Juneau Mont and side to side the Douglas Island channel. The city Juneau was called after gold prospector Joe Juneau.

    Under Russian rule, the seat of government was at Sitka- with no official capital. In 1900 congress moved this seat to Juneau, but Juneau did not become the capital until 1912, in 1974, Alaskans voted to move the state capital closer to the state´s population center, selecting a site between Anchorage and Fairbanks at Wilow. Juneau remained the capital after funding for the transfer of government to willow was defeated by voters in 1982. Of southeast Alaska´s 60, 000 residents, half live in Juneau, Alaska´s third largest city.

    Juneau is accessible only by boat, ferry or plane. No roads lead into or out of town. Often called a little San Francisco, Juneau is tucked at the foot of Mount Juneau. The climate is wet and mild, with summer average daily maximum temperature of 63º F and winter average daily minimum temperatures of 20ºF. Average annual snow fall is about 92 inches in the downtown area.

    US Coast Guard Boat Juneau AlaskaUSCG Juneau Plain Landing Juneau military training by coast

    The real Alaska Juneau base military base was situated in Auke bay, but was changed to where it is presently, in Juneau, in the late 1970. They carry out hundred to one hundred and fifty rescuers and search mission yearly and three hundred boarding. USCG Alaska Juneau uses forty seven feet Motor life boat and 3 twenty five fee safe boats.

  • Fort Wainwright

    Fort Wainwright Facts

    • Location: Fairbanks in the inner region of Alaska
    • Website:
      Visit Fort Wainwright Website ›
    • Phone: (907) 353-1110
    • Longitude:
      -147.643032
    • Latitude:
      64.827762
    • DSN:
      317-353-1110

    Alaska Fort Wainwright is situated next to Fairbanks in the inner region of Alaska. The base is situated in the North Start Borough. An Alaska borough is same to a county in the lower forty eight states. Fairbanks, the 2nd biggest city in Alaska, is situated three hundred and sixty five miles north of Anchorgage, Alaska. You will discover that the price of housing and other living expenditures in the Fairbank region is actually high. On base housing can be really a wait and off base housing is also very restricted. The weather in this region has the big fluctuation in the planet. It reaches ninety degree Celsius in summer and a minus sixty five degree Celsius in the winter. People will be capable to enjoy stunning scenery, wildlife diversity, glorious mountains, camping, fishing and hunting and the nice independent people who will be their neighbors.

    Fort Wainwright Military Base
    Fort Wainwright Alaska Military hospital

    Lots of military and political leaders’ encouraged building military base in Alaska state many years before to World War 2nd. At last, when war warned in 1939, government granted four million to build a base at Fairbanks. In 60´s, the military renamed the base Fort Jonathan M. Wainwright after the military man who, with his crew, highly defended this region during the first months of the Second World War. In 2001, this base was chosen as the third stryker brigade combat team and, in 2006 the base was chosen as the residence of Task Force 49 Aviation Brigade. With the adoration of team tour to Alaska and the big number of official travelers, Alaska fort wainwright base struggles to provide the good temporary residence to both space available travelers and official. The adoration of Alaska base signifies loading is normally cent percent registered from April through September. It is suggested that official travelers make bookings as soon as they are eligible.

  • Fort Richardson Army Post

    Fort Richardson Army Post Facts

    It is basically an installation near the city of Anchorage in the state of Alaska, USA. The installation was completed in the year 1940 and has been in operation since then. The installation was named after a military explorer General Wilds P. Richardson. The site now operates as headquarter of US Army in the state of Alaska. The site is built on the land of Elmendorf Air Force Base. The base was also moved to another site 5km away from its previous location. The new site has around 500 soldiers having better features such as new hospital, office quarter, new rifle range, and warehouses.

    Alaska Fort Richardson now also operates as sub-unit of US Army Pacific Command and it offers support to units deployed in Afghanistan. It now covers an area of 62,000 acres comprising number of facilities for support and officers. It includes helipad, residential place for officers working on site, firing range, drop zone for airplanes and helicopters and other services. The base also offers military and non-military training and activity services. Another good feature of Alaska Fort Richardson is that there are numerous mountains nearby site, allowing soldiers to train themselves for mountain warfare.

    Fort Richardson Alaska military base front

    Fort Richardson military lectures

    It may surprise you to know that it also has a large arena offering capacity of 3500 people, which is a good place for soldiers and officers to spend time in relaxation. The base also comprise of civilians working for US Air Force.

    Talking about the local community it comprise of soldiers, officers and their families that makes up complete city with all the facilities a city would need. They work and live here with schools, grocery stores and parks, and only authorized personnel are allowed to enter the area. The city is situated inside the base with highest level of security.

  • Fort Greely Launch Site

    Fort Greely Facts

  • Location: Alaska
  • Website:
    Visit Website>
  • Phone: (907) 873-3284
  • Longitude:
    -145.554566
  • Latitude:
    63.905016
  • DSN:
    873-3284
  • It is basically a small census controlled area designed to support military operations. It works as a small city with a population of around 460 people and it has all features of a city. Alaska Fort Greely primarily supports Fort Greely that is a launch site for United States Army. The launch site is primarily used for testing of anti-ballistic missiles and it is located 100km from city of Fairbanks in the state of Alaska. The area is located in one of the coldest areas in Alaska offering facility to test systems in coldest temperatures. The site is also sometimes called CRTC (cold region test center) because of cold weather.

    The site was built in 1942 and a separate highway was built during World War II to connect it to British Colombia state in Canada. The base also played an important role in sending aids to Russia against Japan and Germany during World War II. United States send airplanes, supplies and other important instruments to Far East Russia as per common agreement between United States and Russia. The current site was rebuilt after end of World War II and was named as Alaska Fort Greely or Fort Greely at some places.

    Fort Greely launch site
    Fort Greely Alaska Military Site

    After the end of World War II the US Army decided to test their instruments in cold weather. The US Army gained good experience from the war and they thought that their task forces and instruments should be able to work in extreme conditions especially in cold weather. The US Army formed a group of task forces and built a site in cold area where they can test their instruments, weapons and airplanes to operate efficiently in cold weather conditions. Today it is home to some of the most sophisticated tests held in Alaska Fort Greely especially tests related to ballistic missiles.

  • Elmendorf Air Force Base

    Quick Facts

  • Location:
    Anchorage, Alaska
  • Website:
    Visit Website ›
  • Phone: (907) 552-1110
  • Longitude:
    -149.813819
  • Latitude:
    61.254954
  • DSN:
    317-552-1110
  • The base is located adjacent to Alaska’s largest city of Anchorage. And it is home to some of the largest and most important units of US defense including Joint Task Force, Alaskan Command and other units and wings. Its primary mission is to provide support and defend Asia Pacific region where US units and wings have been deployed.

    The Alaska Elmendorf Base supports some of the most advanced wings of US Air Force such as 3-d wing comprising of 6900 personnel. The base also offers ground support to some of the most advanced aircrafts such as F-15 Eagle, F-22 Raptor, and a very important airborne E-3 Sentry. The 3-d wing specializes in providing support to some of the most advanced combat and training situations, which also includes international support to units deployed around the world, as well as medical support to all wings in state Alaska. The 3-d wing is made of different units having their own responsibilities and Alaska Elmendorf provides support to all its units and operations.

    Elmendorf air force base from sky
    Plains landing at Elmendorf Air Force Base

    It also played a major role in World War II and became an important base for wings deployed in Alaska. The base was once main target for Japanese during the war but today America and Japan works together and has operated in numerous joint exercises. The first wing arrived at Alaska Elmendorf in the year 1941 and worked as one of the very first wings. The base also played a major role during World War II and provided protection from Soviet Union during Cold War. During 1940s and 1950s there were large gathering of large number of units and wings due to formation of uncertainty of defense.

    The Alaska Elmendorf Base also has the honor to offer US Air Force’s first jet fighter plane. The base has received many upgrades of their air planes and it is home to numerous advanced jet planes.

  • Eielson Air Force Base

    Eielson AFB Facts

  • Website:
    Visit Website›
  • Phone: (907) 377-2116
  • Longitude:
    -147.09157
  • Latitude:
    64.676023
  • DSN:
    317-377-2116
  • Alaska Eielson is an US Air Base located about 42km from city of Fairbanks in the state of Alaska. It is part of 354th Fighter Wing and its primary aim is to provide support during training exercise named as Red Flag., which last 10-days and it is held upto four times a year. Its purpose it to provide support during field training exercises such as employment training, joint offensive counter training and other combat training exercises. The Alaska Eielson Base was built in year 1943 and it was named after an explorer and pilot Carl Ben Eielson.

    The base has very importance and it plays an important role in training personals and deploying bombers and pilots around the world, and provides defense to Alaska as well. Today it is working to provide defense to Alaska and provides support to join-commanded training sessions on Joint Pacific Alaskan Range, and today it works as one of the largest military training complexes in the country.

    Plane at Eielson air force base

    Military Planes at Eilson air force base

    The base has long history that dates back to World War II. The base was built during World War II because Lass Army Airfield was severely damaged during war and it was required to have a larger and better base to support US Air Force. Alaska Eielson was later named as Mile 26 because of a near by US Military telegraph station. The Alaska Eielson was built with two runways during World War II giving an advantage over Lass Army Airfield along wide range of other facilities for pilots and officers. It also had a good ground support crew. The Alaska Eielson also played a major role in cold war.

    After providing support in several wars Alaska Eielson has been much contaminated by toxic chemicals and wastes and needed to be cleaned up. The site was designated as Superfund, which is basically an act according to which the site will be cleaned with waste that may be harmful for environment; today it is a state-of-the-art US Air Force Base.

  • Clear Air Force Station

    Clear Air Force Station Facts

    Alaska Clear Station also called as Clear Air Force Station located 5-miles away from a city named as Anderson in the state of Alaska, USA. The primary aim of the station is to locate incoming ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) and missiles launched from submarines. These ballistic missiles very in range between 3500 and 5500 kilometer and they may contain nuclear and weapon of mass destruction. The station was built to monitor incoming missiles in the region.

    The base was built in 1959 and cost sum of $360,000,000 and it is in operation. The area had railway roads and it is now one of the best air bases of US Air Force. It has also received Outstanding Unit Award in the year 1970 and has offered some of the best Air Force officers including first female officer in 1973.

    It then received its second Outstanding Unit Award in the same year. It has also been upgraded with advanced technologies including its state-of-the-art radome (radar dome) in 1981. Watching its outstanding performance it was enlisted in 1st Space Wing in US Air Force and offered first all-female crew in 1986, which become a milestone for female Air Force officers.

    Clear Air Force Station Alaska from sky

    Clear Air Force Station Alaska Large Air Scanner

    Another important role played by Alaska Clear Station was when two of major Air Bases were converted into radars, it became a major missile detection station and it was decided to make more upgrades, which was later known as Clear Radar Upgrade.

    Today it has an advanced radar system than all its previous radar systems named as SSPARS (solid-state phased-array radar system) working 24-hours a day. Its previous radar systems have been seized and they are no longer in operation. It is now working with other units comprising of air forces and organizations including US Air Force, Canadian Air Force and civilians as well.