Russian planes and naval vessels approach Alaskan territory, the U.S. bolsters its presence in the Aleutians with troops and mobile rocket systems.
The U.S. military recently deployed about 130 soldiers and mobile rocket launchers to Shemya Island in Alaska’s Aleutian chain in response to increased Russian and Chinese military activity near American territory. Over the past week, eight Russian military planes and four naval vessels—including two submarines—have approached Alaska, although none breached U.S. airspace.
“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,” Pentagon spokesperson Major General Pat Ryder said at a news conference.
The deployment, part of a “force projection operation,” included High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and was prompted by joint Russian-Chinese military drills in the region.
Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska has called for a stronger military presence in the Aleutians amid these heightened tensions, citing the strategic importance of the Arctic in global power dynamics between the U.S., Russia, and China. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tracked Russian planes in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone, which requires foreign aircraft to identify themselves but lies outside U.S. sovereign airspace. The recent uptick in such incursions has raised concerns, but the U.S. military does not currently perceive a direct threat.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Secretary Austin to seek God’s direction as he heads the Defense Department.
- For Pentagon and NORAD officials as they monitor Russian and Chinese military activity in the region.
Sources: Military.com, Politico
