$7B JBER modernization: Sullivan’s new 'Fighter Town' plan

As the 'Guardian of the North,' Alaska has historically been on the front lines of American defense, offering crucial geographic advantages during both World War II and the Cold War. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the military focus shifted, prompting significant reductions in force and the closure of key, remote locations like Adak, and reducing force levels.

Since coming into office, Senator Dan Sullivan, a Marine Corps veteran, has made it a priority to reestablish Alaska as a strategic piece of America’s defense, building up the military buildup in the Last Frontier.

To boost Arctic security, the Air Force is launching a historic $7 billion recapitalization of JBER dubbed "Fighter Town." This comprehensive project will tear down 1950s-era buildings to make way for modern hangars, operational spaces, and upgraded infrastructure, ensuring the base can support next-generation aircraft.

Last week, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed that the Administration’s budget includes a major new investment: the Fighter Town Recapitalization Project at JBER, which will modernize the base with a state-of-the-art fighter complex capable of supporting multiple platforms for decades to come, with a total investment of $7 billion, likely the biggest military investment in our state’s history. “This project will not only significantly strengthen our national security and power projection in the Arctic but will also bring a significant economic boon to our state,” said the senator during a visit to the American Legion Susitna post in April.

In addition to the JBER revitalization project, Alaska’s 4/25 Infantry Brigade Combat Team in2022 was reflagged to become the storied 11th Airborne Division, making it the one of only two airborne divisions in the entire U.S. military.

Eielson Air Force Base now hosts two squadrons of F-35s, and combined with F-22s at JBER, Alaska now has more than 100 fifth-generation fighters, making it the largest concentration of these advanced aircraft in the world.

Senator Sullivan also touted the re-opening of Adak Naval Base, located 1,200 miles southwest of Anchorage in the Aleutian Islands. It was a key WWII Army Air Corps base and Cold War-era anti-submarine facility. Closed in 1997, the U.S. military is actively moving to reopen the former Air Station to counter Russian and Chinese activities in the North Pacific. The 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) includes federal funding for this, with officials prioritizing the site's strategic, deep-water port and airfield with an 8,000 foot runway. The NDAA authorized $115 million for initial steps, a move endorsed by Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

On missile defense, the Long Range Discrimination Radar at Clear Space Force Station is now operational, enhancing our ability to detect and defeat advanced threats, alongside upgrades to the COBRA DANE radar and new missile interceptors at Fort Greely.

Senator Sullivan says the buildup will significantly boost the state’s economy as well as provide good-paying jobs for Alaskans. But it’s also keeping America safe, especially during a time of increasing aggression from adversaries in the Arctic. Defenses in Alaska have been challenged by increasing activity since 2019, including over 100 Russian air incursions, four Chinese naval transits, and over a dozen joint operations by the two nations.

“These developments underscore a simple reality: Alaska is once again being recognized for what it has always been—the cornerstone of America’s Arctic defense.”