US military bolsters Alaskan defense amid surge in Russian activity near American waters

The United States has deployed approximately 130 soldiers, alongside advanced rocket systems, to Shemya Island in Alaska’s Aleutian chain.

This move comes as Russian and Chinese military forces conduct joint operations in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, bringing them alarmingly close to U.S. airspace and waters.

Recent weeks have seen a noticeable uptick in Russian military activity near Alaska, with eight Russian planes and four naval vessels, including two submarines, approaching the U.S. coast. While none of these aircraft entered U.S. airspace, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has tracked Russian incursions into Alaska’s Air Defense Identification Zone, an area requiring aircraft to identify themselves.

“It’s not the first time that we’ve seen the Russians and the Chinese flying, you know, in the vicinity, and that’s something that we obviously closely monitor, and it’s also something that we’re prepared to respond to,” said Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder.

As part of a larger “force projection operation,” the U.S. Army dispatched soldiers and two High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) to Shemya Island, 1,200 miles southwest of Anchorage. The location houses a historic air station first established during World War II.

Simultaneously, the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard have ramped up their presence in Alaska’s waters. A U.S. guided missile destroyer and a Coast Guard vessel have been deployed to the area, according to Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan. The increase in American military presence coincides with Russia and China’s ongoing “Ocean-24” military exercises, which began on September 10.

NORAD revealed that over four consecutive days last week, Russian military planes were detected off the coast of Alaska. The incursions are part of a pattern of growing military assertiveness by Moscow, with the number of such incidents rising from an average of six to seven a year to 26 last year, and 25 so far in 2024.

Despite the uptick in Russian activity, the Pentagon insists the situation does not pose an immediate threat. “The recent spike is something that we’ll continue to keep an eye on, but doesn’t pose a threat from our perspective,” Ryder reassured.

However, Senator Sullivan has called for a more robust military presence in Alaska, warning of a greater geopolitical shift in the region. “These escalating incidents demonstrate the critical role the Arctic plays in great power competition between the U.S., Russia, and China,” Sullivan stated, advocating for the reopening of the Navy’s shuttered base at Adak.

In recent months, the U.S. Coast Guard also reported encounters with Chinese and Russian naval vessels in the Aleutians, and the Pentagon is keeping a close watch as Russia continues to bolster its military capabilities in the Arctic. This includes the unveiling of two new nuclear submarines, signaling Russia’s strategic ambitions in the northern region.

As tensions escalate, U.S. forces remain on high alert, underscoring the importance of the Arctic in the growing global power struggle between the U.S., Russia, and China.