The 353rd Combat Training Squadron is a United States Air Force training squadron responsible for Exercise RED FLAG – ALASKA held annually in Alaska. Overview All the activities on Alaska's three weapons training ranges – incorporating more than 68,000 square miles (180,000 km2) of airspace, 28 threat systems, and 225 targets for range and exercise operations – are planned and controlled by 353rd CTS personnel. The three tactical ranges supervised by the squadron's range division are Blair Lakes, Yukon and Oklahoma. The Blair Lakes Conventional Range is located about 26 miles southwest of Eielson AFB. Isolated in a sub-Arctic tundra environment, this range is manned continuously and is normally accessible only by helicopter. The Yukon Tactical and Electronic Warfare Range is 15 miles (24 km) east of Eielson. Accessible most of the year, this mountainous complex is only manned as necessary to provide electronic warfare training. The Oklahoma Tactical Range is located within the U.S. Army's Cold Region Test Center at Fort Greely, Alaska, and is the largest of the three ranges, encompassing more than 900,000 acres (3,600 km2) of relatively flat, open terrain. Cope Thunder exercises take place over Alaskan and Canadian airspace. The airspace – 17 permanent military operations areas and high-altitude training areas, plus two restricted areas – total more than 68,000 square miles (180,000 km2). Cope Thunder's economic impact on the communities surrounding Eielson and Elmendorf AFBs have been large and should continue to be so. In 2001 alone, military members taking part in the exercises poured more than $2 million into the local economies. Eielson AFB building projects resulting all or in part from Cope Thunder include a $23 million transient personnel facility, a $13 million Cope Thunder operations building, a $35 million air-to-air tracking system; eight two-bay all-weather aircraft shelters valued at $25 million, and a $2 million range microwave link. Additionally, the number of threat emitters on Cope Thunder ranges was doubled from 14 to 28 and several of the communication systems between ranges and Eielson have been upgraded. History World War II Activated on 15 November 1942 at Hamilton Field, California, initially equipped with Bell P-39 Airacobras and assigned to IV Fighter Command for training. Moved to several bases in California and Nevada then to Portland Army Air Base, Oregon in June 1943 and re-equipped with new North American P-51B Mustangs. Transitioned to the Mustang throughout the summer of 1943 the deployed