160318-N-QA919-387 ARCTIC CIRCLE (March 15, 2016) Lt. Gen. Russell J. Handy, Commander, Alaskan Command, greets Cmdr. Thomas Aydt, Commanding Officer of Los Angeles-class submarine USS Hartford (SSN-768) during Ice Exercise (ICEX) 2016. ICEX 2016 is a five-week exercise designed to research, test, and evaluate operational capabilities in the region. ICEX 2016 allows the U.S. Navy to assess operational readiness in the Arctic, increase experience in the region, advance understanding of the Arctic Environment, and develop partnerships and collaborative efforts. (U.S. Navy photo by Aerographer's Mate 2nd Class Zachary Yanez/Released)