Alaska D.C. Delegation Reacts to Ft. Greely Missile Plans Due to North Korea

The Pentagon announced on Friday plans to strengthen its missile defense system with Ft. Greely on deck to see a significant increase due to the potential threats from North Korea.

Alaska’s D.C. delegation, Rep. Don Young and Sens. Mark Begich and Lisa Murkowski, have applauded the plan that would add 14 more interceptors at Ft. Greely. The base located near Fairbanks already has 26 interceptors.

“From the 14 new ground-based missile interceptors, to the fish in supermarkets across the country, to gasoline in our fuel tanks, people often forgot how important Alaska is to this country,” said Rep. Young in an issued statement.

Young also said that he will invite Sec. of Defense Chuck Hagel to Alaska to tour Ft. Greely.

“I am glad to hear the news that Alaska and America are finally being tapped to deliver a better blanket of protection for our nation, but we should not wait until voices get too loud to be ignored,” said Sen. Murkowski in a statement. “We cannot afford a defense strategy that is reactionary in a new world of emerging and threats possessing swift nuclear weapons.”

The delegation also seized the opportunity to reiterate that the Department of Defense tried to scrap the program in 2009, and finds Alaska as in a key position to act as the country’s shield against Pyongyang’s progress on nuclear weapons.

“I said we are not going backwards here, we will need this missile defense system, maybe not today, but we will need it in the future, and here we are in the future,” said Sen. Begich in a phoner.

Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell also responded to the missile defense upgrade saying “[it’s] good news for America’s security and good news for Alaska jobs.

As for a price tag estimate, Pentagon officials said it could cost nearly $1 billion to upgrade Ft. Greely by 2017.

Contact Corey Allen-Young