Current:Home > NewsUS Army conducts training exercise on Alaskan island less than 300 miles from Russia-LoTradeCoin
US Army conducts training exercise on Alaskan island less than 300 miles from Russia
View Date:2024-12-23 20:03:11
U.S. Army soldiers were deployed to the remote Shemya Island in Alaska last week, as part of a training exercise that follows recent flights of Russian and Chinese aircraft near American airspace in the region.
Soldiers of the 11th Airborne Division, as well as the 1st and 3rd Multi Domain Task Forces, deployed to Shemya Island, part of the vast Aleutian Islands archipelago, on September 12. Shemya Island, located 1,200 miles west of Anchorage and less than 300 miles from the Russian coast, is home the Eareckson Air Station, an early-warning radar installation that can track ballistic missiles and other objects.
“As the number of adversarial exercises increases around Alaska and throughout the region, including June’s joint Russian-Chinese bomber patrol, the operation to Shemya Island demonstrates the division’s ability to respond to events in the Indo-Pacific or across the globe, with a ready, lethal force within hours,” Maj. Gen. Joseph Hilbert, the commanding general of the 11th Airborne Division, said in a statement.
Watch:Army Ranger rescues fellow soldier trapped in car as it becomes engulfed in flames
A summer of close calls with Russian and Chinese aircraft
In July, U.S. and Canadian jets intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bomber aircraft that were flying within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), an area of international airspace where aircraft are required to identify themselves to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
The training exercise also came just a day after NORAD reportedly “detected and tracked two Russian military aircraft” operating in the ADIZ.
As reported by Stars and Stripes, this summer has also seen numerous flights by Russian and Chinese military aircraft around the Pacific, including an incident last week in which a Russian military aircraft circled the island of Okinawa, where the U.S. maintains a large military presence, a flight by Chinese military aircraft into Japanese airspace on August 26, and a July flight by two Russian military bomber aircraft between Japan and South Korea.
The U.S. training exercise, which was expected to last several days, involved paratroopers, artillery, and radars based in Alaska, Hawaii, and Washington. An Army press release also described it as an important step in maintaining a U.S. presence in the Arctic, “as it becomes more accessible with the accelerating impacts of climate change.”
Max Hauptman is a Trending Reporter for USA TODAY. He can be reached at [email protected]
veryGood! (7)
Related
- A growing and aging population is forcing Texas counties to seek state EMS funding
- Nick Saban will be in Kalen DeBoer's ear at Alabama. And that's OK | Opinion
- From a ludicrously capacious bag to fake sausages: ‘Succession’ props draw luxe prices
- Emma Stone says she applies to be on Jeopardy! every year: That's my dream
- Man waives jury trial in killing of Georgia nursing student
- Maldives leader demands removal of Indian military from the archipelago by mid-March amid spat
- Purina refutes online rumors, says pet food is safe to feed dogs and cats
- Chiefs-Dolphins could approach NFL record for coldest game. Bills-Steelers postponed due to snow
- Real Housewives of New York City Star’s Pregnancy Reveal Is Not Who We Expected
- Selena Gomez and Emily Blunt Poke Fun at Golden Globes Lip-Reading Drama
Ranking
- Chet Holmgren injury update: Oklahoma City Thunder star suffers hip fracture
- Louisiana woman grew a cabbage the size of a small child, setting record for massive produce
- Jelly Roll urged Congress to crack down on fentanyl. That's harder than it sounds.
- As legal challenges mount, some companies retool diversity and inclusion programs
- US wholesale inflation picks up slightly in sign that some price pressures remain elevated
- Maldives leader says his country’s small size isn’t a license to bully in apparent swipe at India
- Oklahoma City-area hit by 4.1-magnitude earthquake Saturday, one of several in Oklahoma
- MILAN FASHION PHOTOS: Dolce&Gabbana sets romantic pace. MSGM reflects on the fast-paced world
Recommendation
-
Young Black and Latino men say they chose Trump because of the economy and jobs. Here’s how and why
-
Taylor Swift rocks custom Travis Kelce jacket made by Kristin Juszczyk, wife of 49ers standout
-
A huge fire engulfs a warehouse in Russia outside the city of St Petersburg
-
A Georgia family was about to lose insurance for teen's cancer battle. Then they got help.
-
UConn, Kansas State among five women's college basketball games to watch this weekend
-
How long does a hangover last? Here's what you need to know.
-
Opinion: Women with obesity are often restricted from IVF. That's discriminatory
-
Hurry Up & Shop Vince Camuto’s Shoe Sale With an Extra 50% Off Boots and Booties