LANSING, Mich. –
Northern Strike (NS) 26-2, one of the Department of War’s largest reserve component readiness exercises, returns to Michigan Aug. 3-14, bringing together more than 9,000 military personnel from 36 states and territories and five international participants for realistic, multi-domain training across the
Michigan National Guard's (MING)
National All-Domain Warfighting Center (NADWC).
Participants will conduct training focused on Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2), Combined Arms Live-Fire Exercises (CALFEX), Cyberspace and Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA), Defensive Cyberspace Operations (DCO), and contested sustainment and logistics in support of building military readiness for large-scale combat operations (LSCO).
This year's exercise expands homeland defense and force protection training through integrated counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) operations supported by more than 28 fixed-wing aircraft conducting force protection, aerial refueling and operational support missions. Medical personnel will exercise the En-Route Patient Staging System (ERPSS), preparing simulated casualties for Aeromedical Evacuation while delivering critical en route care (ERC).
Maritime training on Lake Michigan and Lake Huron will include protection of high-value assets, integration of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and target acquisition and engagement in both littoral and open-water environments. The Joint Personnel Recovery Agency will also integrate with participating units to evaluate emerging combat search, rescue and recovery capabilities while establishing an Expeditionary Port Mortuary in support of LSCO.
NS is the National Guard’s largest joint readiness exercise and is conducted throughout the NADWC, which includes
Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center (CGJMTC), the
Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center (Alpena CRTC) and their associated special-use airspace. Additional training locations include Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Rogers City Quarry,
Battle Creek Air National Guard Base,
Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airfield and K.I. Sawyer Airfield in Marquette.
"NS has become a proving ground for how the joint force will fight in the future," said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Paul D. Rogers, adjutant general and director of the
Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. "Michigan's NADWC offers commanders an unmatched environment to integrate joint and allied forces, evaluate emerging technologies and train under realistic conditions across every operational domain. The lessons learned here strengthens our nation's readiness while reinforcing Michigan's role as a leader in military innovation and all-domain warfighting."
Since its inception in 2012, NS has grown from a regional training event into a globally recognized joint and multinational exercise supporting Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Space Force, National Guard, Reserve, interagency and international partners. Accredited as a Joint National Training Capability (JNTC) exercise, NS provides scalable, cost-effective readiness training that enables participating units to accomplish mission-essential tasks in realistic operational environments.
"The character of warfare continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, and our training must evolve with it," said Col. Todd Fitzpatrick, land exercise director for NS. "NS brings together operational forces, allied partners and emerging capabilities in an environment that reflects the complexity of today's battlefield. Whether countering UAS, integrating autonomous technologies and live intelligence collection or conducting large-scale joint operations, every training event is designed to strengthen interoperability, accelerate innovation and ensure our forces are prepared for the missions they'll face tomorrow."
In addition to strengthening military readiness, NS provides a significant economic benefit to Michigan, generating an average of $44 million annually through military pay, travel and local spending across northern Michigan.
Motorists should expect increased military traffic on Michigan roadways Aug. 1 and Aug. 15 as personnel and equipment move to and from Camp Grayling. Residents throughout Michigan's Lower Peninsula may also see increased military aircraft activity during the exercise as aircraft conduct scheduled training missions.
For additional information, contact the MING Public Affairs office at 517-730-5776 or
PAO Email Address. Photos, videos and stories will be available throughout the exercise in the
NS 26-2 DVIDS Media Hub.
