Stryker armored attack vehicles were sent north of the Arctic Circle for the first time Tuesday as part of Operation Arctic Pegasus, an Army statement said.
Alaska's 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team operated four Strykers for two days during the joint, multi-agency exercise involving the Air Force, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources and the North Slope Borough. An Air Force C-17 delivered the Strykers and about 40 soldiers to Deadhorse -- a town about 500 miles north of Fairbanks with a population of 50 and a small airport -- the statement said.
The 1st Stryker Brigade regularly trains for rapid deployment to cold environments. Average winter temperatures in the area dip well below zero, with a record low of minus 57 Fahrenheit, the statement said. The wind-chill factor hit minus 96 in nearby Prudhoe Bay in 1989.
There is growing interest from nations in the Arctic region, as global warming slowly melts ice sheets that could create easier access to petroleum, heavy metals and fisheries.
Russia is particularly assertive in protecting its Arctic interests. It is building two infantry brigades in the region equipped with vehicles to move troops across snow.
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