Senator Dan Sullivan is pushing a dual-pronged strategy to boost Alaska’s energy future and national defense. In a recent interview with KSRM, he outlined how an Alaska liquefied natural gas (LNG) pipeline could attract federal defense funding while also advancing plans to reopen the long-dormant naval base on Adak Island.
“One way to help finance this project is if the buyers know a major anchor tenant will be the U.S. military,” Sullivan said.
After President Trump’s executive order to tap into Alaska’s resource potential, Sullivan said he reached out to Secretary Hegseth. “I told him, ‘Mister Secretary, as we get this done, I need your commitment that our military bases in Alaska will be anchor tenants for this gas.’ And he said, ‘Absolutely, Senator, that’s a no-brainer.'”
The idea is to align the LNG project with national security priorities, making it more likely to secure federal funding. Sullivan stressed the timing is critical, given Alaska’s strategic position. “It’s more apparent than ever that Alaska is on the front lines of this new era of authoritarian aggression,” he said.
Recent joint Russian and Chinese bomber incursions into Alaska’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) highlight the need to bolster the state’s defenses. “Our military here in Alaska intercepts them, tells them to get the hell out,” Sullivan said, adding that these incidents have only strengthened his resolve.
Alongside the LNG push, Sullivan is pressing to reopen the naval base on Adak Island, calling it vital for national security. “I’ve asked the top people maybe 15 times in the last three months—we need to reopen Adak,” he said.
Sullivan recently met with acting Chief of Naval Operations Admiral James W. Kilby, who presented a detailed plan for restoring the base. “They laid out a strategy—low, medium, and high—to bring it back into service,” Sullivan said, noting its prime location for deploying aviation assets, submarines, and naval warfare ships.
The senator’s approach ties Alaska’s economic development to national security. With the LNG pipeline set to create jobs, reduce reliance on imported energy, and attract federal defense dollars, he envisions a future where the state’s energy and military sectors work in tandem.
“This is a big win for Alaska,” he said, confident that collaboration between the federal government, private sector, and military leadership will drive the state into a new era of prosperity and security.
By tying Alaska’s energy development to national security, Sullivan is betting that federal investment will follow—solidifying the state’s role in both economic growth and military defense.