ARCTEC Alaska Wins $596M USAF Contract, North Slope Economy Expected Boost

ARCTEC Alaska, the joint venture of ATCO Frontec and ASRC Primus Solutions, was awarded a U.S. Air Force contract worth approximately $596 million over 10 years to provide full-service facility operations and maintenance for the Alaska Radar System and related facilities headquartered at Joint Base Elmendorf‑Richardson. The award was announced Feb. 23, 2026 and ATCO’s release states the contract commences in September 2026.

The scope covers operations and maintenance at Joint Base Elmendorf‑Richardson and the Alaska Radar System network of 15 remote long-range radar sites and two radio sites across Alaska. Joint Base Elmendorf‑Richardson is described in the announcement as the largest base in the Pacific Air Force, and the ARS provides uninterrupted surveillance to NORAD and U.S. Northern Command while also delivering civil aircraft information to the Federal Aviation Administration.

ARCTEC Alaska is structured as a joint venture between ATCO Frontec and ASRC Primus Solutions, the latter identified as a subsidiary of ASRC Federal Holding Company and the government services arm of Arctic Slope Regional Corporation. Arctic Slope Regional Corporation is headquartered in Utqiaġvik and ASRC materials state the company’s work helps secure an enduring future for more than 14,000 Iñupiaq shareholders from Alaska’s North Slope.

The contract text reproduced in corporate releases preserves specific responsibilities: “full-service facility operations and maintenance services at Joint Base Elmendorf‑Richardson,” to “operate and maintain 15 long‑range radar sites across Alaska, two radio sites, and facilities at Joint Base Elmendorf‑Richardson,” and to “provide specialized logistics and management expertise to put in place appropriate equipment, supplies and staff to meet mission needs.” ARCTEC Alaska has supported the ARS program since 1994, and the award is described as a follow-on contract building on that multi-decade tenure.

Corporate backgrounds in the announcements underline the technical and logistical capacity being mobilized. ASRC Federal says it delivers services to more than 30 U.S. government agencies across IT modernization, engineering, critical infrastructure and base operations, and supply chain management. ATCO’s releases note ATCO Ltd. and affiliates have approximately 21,000 employees and assets of $27 billion, and point to ATCO Frontec experience with the Nasittuq partnership on Canada’s North Warning System and work on WEXMAC 2.1 for the U.S. Navy’s TITUS initiative.

Two executives framed the award in the corporate statements. Jennifer Felix, president and CEO of ASRC Federal, said, “The Alaska Radar System is critical to maintaining our sovereign air space and we are proud to be entrusted with supporting the safety and security of our Nation. This follow-on contract demonstrates our ability to consistently deliver critical mission services in complex environments.” Jim Landon, President of ATCO Frontec, said, “As a global support and facilities management company, we are uniquely positioned to support the U.S. Air Force in Alaska. Our expertise in some of the most remote and challenging environments is why the USAF has trusted in our abilities for decades, enabling them to maintain continuous surveillance of our skies and safe navigation for civil flights across North America.”

The press releases announcing the $596 million, 10-year award do not specify expected employment levels, local procurement dollars, or subcontractor lists tied to the North Slope. With ASRC’s Alaska Native ownership and Utqiaġvik headquarters, the contract creates a direct link between a major federal award and more than 14,000 Iñupiaq shareholders, while formal workforce and spending details remain to be disclosed. The contract’s September 2026 commencement frames the next decade of operations for the Alaska Radar System and the continuity of surveillance supporting NORAD, U.S. Northern Command and the FAA.