USS Lincoln, Miramar F-35 squadron complete 9-day exercise off Alaska
The aircraft carrier and its accompanying destroyers have completed a nine-day exercise off Alaska to test capabilities in this strategic location.
Dante Ulanday - News Moderator 
The San Diego-based USS Abraham Lincoln and its accompanying destroyers have completed a nine-day exercise off Alaska to test capabilities “in a challenging and geographically strategic location.”
The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyers USS O’Kane, USS Michael Murphy, and USS Frank E. Petersen Jr., along with nine squadrons from Lemoore-based Carrier Air Wing 9, operated in the Gulf of Alaska and through the Aleutian Island chain.
Flying from the Lincoln along with Navy aircraft was a squadron of Marine Corps F-35C stealth fighters based at Miramar.
Operation Northern Edge 2025 involved more than 6,500 service members, approximately 125 Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force planes, and seven U.S. and Canadian naval vessels.
“I am incredibly proud of the Abraham Lincoln crew and their performance throughout Northern Edge,” said Capt. Daniel Keeler, commanding officer of the carrier. “This has been a demanding but incredibly rewarding opportunity.”
“Northern Edge offered an invaluable opportunity for our ships and crews to refine the full spectrum of surface warfare in a challenging and geographically strategic location,” said Capt. Allison Christy, commanding officer of Destroyer Squadron 21. “Our destroyers demonstrated the readiness, lethality, and teamwork required to fight and win as part of a carrier strike group, alongside our counterparts across the joint force.”
In the skies above and around Alaska, Carrier Air Wing 9 logged over 3,000 flight hours and more than 1,100 sorties in support of the exercise.
“This exercise tested the SHOGUN Warriors of CVW-9 in a wide range of demanding missions, from long-range maritime strike to operating in an expeditionary manner forward deployed in Alaska’s challenging conditions,” said Capt. William “Tank” Frank, commander of the wing. “The professionalism and adaptability of our team proved once again that this air wing is ready to deliver combat power anytime, anywhere, no matter how contested the environment.”
Historically an exercise focused on high-end air combat training, Northern Edge in 2025 marked a strategic shift, according to the Navy. The exercise emphasized Alaska not only as a training ground but as a defensive position and power projection hub.
