Summary and Key Points: In response to recent Russian military activity near Alaska, including the presence of jets, surface vessels, and submarines, the U.S. military has deployed 130 soldiers to Shemya Island in the Aleutians.

-The move comes as Russia conducted joint military exercises with China near U.S. territory. The Army also deployed High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) while the Navy and Coast Guard sent vessels to the area.

-With the Arctic’s strategic importance increasing, the U.S. is closely monitoring and responding to rising Russian activity in the region.

U.S. Military Buildup in Alaska as Russia Increases Arctic Presence

As Sarah Palin once reminded us, Alaska sits right next door to Russia. Accordingly, as tensions rise between the US and Putin’s regime, the US military has deployed about 130 soldiers to a remote island in the Aleutians of western Alaska.

The deployment is in direct response to Russian military activity in the region; in the past week, several Russian jets, two surface vessels, and two submarines, have come close to the Alaskan coast as Russia conducted joint military drills with China. Never did the Russians cross into US territory but the activity was enough to warrant an Army deployment in response.

“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, Major General Pat Ryder.

To the Aleutians

In response to Russian activity, the Army deployed its 130 soldiers, as part of a “force projection operation,” to Shemya Island, which is located about 1,2000 miles southwest of Anchorage. Shemya has been the site of an Air Force air station that has been in operation since World War II. Deployed alongside the 130 soldiers were two High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).

The Navy and the Coast Guard were also involved in the deployment; the Navy sent a guided missile destroyer while the Coast Guard sent one of its vessels to western Alaska.

“The North American Aerospace Defense Command said it detected and tracked Russian military planes operating off Alaska over a four-day span,” RealClear Defense reported. “There were two planes each on Sept.11, Sept.13, Sept.14, and Sept. 15.”

The Russian jets were in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone – which is not located within US airspace, but is a territory within which the US expects foreign aircraft to identify themselves.

The recent incursion is hardly the first time the Russians have skirted the Alaskan border. NORAD reports that similar intercepts occur six to seven times per year, although, the number has been increasing: 26 intercepts last year; 25 intercepts so far this year.

Last week, the Russian jets were not alone. “The U.S. Coast Guard said Sunday its homeland security vessel, the 418-foot Stratton, was on routine patrol in the Chukchi Sea when it tracked four Russian Federation Navy vessels about 60 miles northwest of Point Hope, Alaska,” RealClear Defense reported. The Russian vessels included two submarines, a frigate, and a tugboat – all of which had crossed into US waters to avoid sea ice, a maneuver that is permissible under international rules and customs.

The increased Russian presence in the Arctic speaks to the growing strategic importance of the region. As the ice caps melt and the waterways become more navigable, the world powers will likely start to assert themselves more readily in the resource-rich Northern waters.

About the Author: Harrison Kass

Harrison Kass is a defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.