In response to a notable uptick in Russian military maneuvers near Alaska, the United States has significantly bolstered its defensive posture in the region. Recent deployments include stationing a US Navy destroyer, enhancing ground-based missile capabilities, and placing fighter squadrons on high alert to respond swiftly to potential threats. This comes as tensions between Russia, China, and the US rise, especially in light of large-scale joint military exercises by Moscow and Beijing in the Sea of Japan.
Deployments to Counter Russian Naval and Aerial Maneuvers
Over the past few weeks, the US Navy has stationed the USS Sterett, a destroyer, off the coast of Alaska to counter a rising number of Russian naval operations in the area. The Sterett, part of the US Navy’s arsenal of guided-missile destroyers, has recently been conducting patrols near Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands, strategically located in the Bering Sea. The port, about 1,100 miles southwest of Anchorage, is rarely used for military operations but serves as a key base for defending US territory against potential threats from Russian and Chinese forces.
In conjunction with these naval operations, approximately 130 soldiers from the US Army’s 11th Airborne Division, alongside the 1st and 3rd Multi-Domain Task Forces, have been deployed to Shemya, one of the remote Aleutian Islands. Situated about 1,200 miles west of Anchorage, Shemya is equipped with critical military infrastructure that includes radar systems designed to track potential aerial threats. The forces stationed on Shemya are also armed with the High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), a mobile long-range missile platform capable of engaging various threats, including hostile aircraft and ships.
While these deployments were originally part of pre-planned military exercises, the evolving geopolitical situation has given them heightened significance. The increased US military readiness comes as the region sees growing joint military exercises by Russian and Chinese forces, sparking concerns about potential escalation.
Fighter Squadrons Placed on High Alert
The US military’s air power in Alaska has also been reinforced. Fighter squadrons and other aircraft based in the state have been placed on high alert, ready to respond to Russian incursions into the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). According to reports from Politico, this heightened readiness is due to a series of recent intercepts of Russian surveillance planes operating near US airspace.
The Alaska ADIZ is a critical buffer zone that extends beyond US territorial airspace. Any foreign aircraft entering this zone is required to identify itself to US authorities. This zone acts as an early warning system for potential aerial threats, allowing US forces to intercept and assess any aircraft that may pose a danger to national security.
Escalating Russian and Chinese Activities
The bolstered US military presence coincides with the launch of Ocean 2024, a large-scale joint Chinese-Russian military exercise taking place in the Sea of Japan. This exercise, involving dozens of warships and over 120 naval aircraft, has escalated regional tensions and heightened US concerns over Russian and Chinese military cooperation. The exercise is seen as a demonstration of both nations’ growing military coordination, which is increasingly viewed as a strategic alliance aimed at challenging US and allied interests in the region.
The proximity of Russian forces to US territory has been particularly concerning. Recent reports from the US Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) highlighted several instances of Russian aircraft entering the Alaska ADIZ. Between September 11 and 15, Russian military planes were detected on multiple occasions, signaling a persistent pattern of Russian air presence near Alaska.
NORAD typically intercepts Russian aircraft in the region around six or seven times annually, but the frequency of these encounters has been increasing, with 26 intercepts reported in 2024, surpassing the 25 recorded in the previous year. The growing frequency of these encounters underscores the ongoing tension between the US and Russia, particularly as Moscow continues to engage in military activities close to US territory.
Senator Dan Sullivan Sounds Alarm Over Growing Threats
US Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has been an outspoken advocate for enhanced military infrastructure in Alaska in light of the growing Russian and Chinese threats. Sullivan has been closely monitoring the increasing frequency and scale of joint Russian-Chinese military operations near Alaska, which now involve air, surface, and subsurface assets.
“The tempo has gone way up,” Sullivan noted, underscoring the urgency of the situation. “The number of assets has gone way up. It’s air, surface, and subsurface that the Russians are employing, but they’re doing it much more in a joint capacity with China than they’ve ever done. They’re clearly escalatory.”
Sullivan’s concerns reflect a broader recognition among US defense officials that Russia and China’s coordinated military activities represent a significant escalation in the Arctic and North Pacific regions. This growing military cooperation between Moscow and Beijing is seen as a direct challenge to US influence in the region.
Russian Naval Presence in the Arctic
Russian military activities in the Arctic have also expanded, with their naval forces operating closer to US territory. Last week, the US Coast Guard reported that one of its vessels, the 418-foot homeland security cutter Stratton, encountered four Russian Federation Navy vessels while conducting routine patrols in the Chukchi Sea, just 60 miles northwest of Point Hope, Alaska. The Russian flotilla included two submarines, a frigate, and a tugboat.
The Russian vessels reportedly entered US waters temporarily to avoid sea ice, a maneuver permitted under international maritime law. However, the presence of Russian naval forces in the area highlights the growing importance of the Arctic as a strategic region for both the US and Russia.
As the Arctic ice continues to melt due to climate change, previously inaccessible resources such as oil, gas, and rare minerals are becoming more attainable, making the region a geopolitical hotspot. The Arctic is also seeing the emergence of new shipping routes, which are becoming increasingly important for global trade. These factors have led to heightened competition between global powers, particularly the US and Russia, for control and access to the region’s valuable resources.
The Bering Strait, a narrow body of water separating the US and Russian territories, is a key area of interest. At its narrowest point, the strait is only 53 miles wide, making it a critical chokepoint for military and commercial traffic between the Pacific and Arctic Oceans.
Strategic Importance of Alaska
Alaska’s geographic location makes it a vital component of the US defense strategy, particularly in the context of rising tensions with Russia and China. The state’s proximity to Russia—across the Bering Strait—and its position on the northern Pacific Rim make it a frontline in the defense against potential military incursions from these adversaries.
Alaska is home to key US military installations, including Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and Eielson Air Force Base, both of which are critical to US air defense and missile defense capabilities. The state also plays a crucial role in monitoring and intercepting potential threats entering US airspace, particularly those coming from Russia.
With Russian and Chinese forces conducting increasingly aggressive joint military operations near US territory, the strategic importance of Alaska has become even more pronounced. The deployment of additional US military assets to the region is seen as a necessary step to ensure the security of the state and the broader US homeland.
Growing Strategic Cooperation Between Russia and China
The joint military exercises between Russia and China reflect a deepening strategic alliance between the two nations, which many experts believe is aimed at countering US and allied influence in the Asia-Pacific region. The fact that Russian and Chinese forces are conducting military operations so close to US territory underscores the seriousness of this alliance.
The US has long been concerned about the possibility of coordinated military actions by Russia and China, both of which have been modernizing their military forces in recent years. Moscow and Beijing’s willingness to engage in joint operations near the US frontier represents a potential shift in the global military balance.
While the current situation has not escalated into direct conflict, the presence of Russian and Chinese forces near Alaska, coupled with the US military’s bolstered defensive posture, has raised the stakes in the ongoing geopolitical competition between these global powers.
The United States’ recent military deployments in Alaska reflect a growing recognition of the heightened threats posed by Russian and Chinese military activities in the region. The deployment of the USS Sterett, the stationing of ground forces on Shemya Island, and the heightened alert status of US fighter squadrons all signal a robust response to increased Russian naval and air operations near Alaska.
As tensions continue to rise, the strategic importance of Alaska as a key defensive outpost for the US cannot be overstated. With the Arctic becoming more navigable and its resources increasingly accessible, the region will likely remain a focal point for geopolitical competition between the US, Russia, and China in the years to come.
