Photo By Amber Kurka | Randy “Church” Kee, director of the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security...... read more read more
As global powers increasingly set their sights on the Arctic, the Department of Defense is sharpening its focus on the region as a critical component of U.S. homeland defense. Anchorage Navy Week, held for the first time in Alaska’s largest city, brought that focus forward by raising awareness and reinforcing deterrence in the region.
Rear Adm. Susan BryerJoyner, director of the Warfighting Integration Directorate (N2N6I) in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and senior executive for Anchorage Navy Week, visited the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies as part of Navy Week activities. Her engagements reinforced the DoD’s commitment to addressing Arctic operational challenges and advancing joint maritime readiness.
The Arctic is no longer a distant frontier—it is a domain of increasing competition, demanding attention from military planners, policymakers, and operational commanders. As part of the DoD’s efforts to restore deterrence and reinforce homeland defense, leaders are prioritizing burden sharing with Allies and partners, enhancing multidomain awareness, and preparing for joint operational demands in the Arctic.
During her visit, faculty from the TSC presented overviews of Arctic challenges and the shifting security landscape shaped by increased interest from the Chinese Communist Party. These insights underscored the importance of deterrence in the North and the need for persistent engagement in the region.
Anchorage Navy Week also provided an opportunity to honor the legacy of the late U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens by connecting the Navy’s Arctic legacy with its future. Sailors from the USS Ted Stevens—the Navy’s newest guided-missile destroyer—visited the center to learn more about the region’s strategic relevance and the Navy’s role in Arctic defense. Their visit marked the first time crew members from the vessel visited the center that shares its namesake.
Named after the late senator, both the ship and the center honor a legacy of service rooted in Alaska’s central role in national defense. That legacy continues today as the Navy works alongside Arctic-focused institutions to enhance preparedness and ensure peace through strength.
Anchorage Navy Week brought Sailors into communities across the city while also providing senior leaders with insights into Alaska’s operational relevance. The engagement at the Ted Stevens Center underscored how homeland defense begins in the Arctic—and how integrated deterrence will depend on both strategic foresight and collaboration across the joint force.
As Arctic conditions and global power dynamics evolve, the Navy’s growing presence in the region signals a broader shift toward sustained commitment, informed decision-making, and proactive defense at the northern edge of the homeland.
| Date Taken: | 07.07.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.07.2025 17:57 |
| Story ID: | 542151 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, ALASKA, US |
| Hometown: | ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 47 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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