Hold on to your hats, folks, because what just happened in Alaska should have every American raising an eyebrow. The U.S. Army made a sudden, no-nonsense show of force by deploying paratroopers, radar platoons, and a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) to Shemya Island, one of the Aleutian Islands, this week. Why? To send a clear message to Russia and China after a series of provocative military flybys near American airspace. Yes, you read that right—Russian and Chinese bombers are out there playing games, and our military had to respond.
Here’s the kicker: this deployment comes on the heels of a joint Russian-Chinese bomber patrol in July, where four bombers flew into Alaska’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). Six fighter jets from the U.S. and Canada scrambled to intercept them—American F-35s and F-16s, alongside Canadian CF-18s. That incident alone should have set off alarm bells, but what’s even more concerning is that just a day before the Army mobilized to Shemya, more Russian jets were spotted creeping into the ADIZ. It’s almost like they’re daring us to react.
And boy, did we react. The 11th Airborne Division, along with the 1st and 3rd Multi-Domain Task Forces, didn’t waste any time. They deployed to the tiny, strategically critical Shemya Island on September 12, rapidly setting up the HIMARS system and positioning soldiers around the island. If this doesn’t scream, “Don’t mess with us,” I don’t know what does. Major General Joseph Hilbert, commander of the 11th Airborne Division, made it crystal clear: the operation demonstrates the military’s ability to respond with a “ready, lethal force within hours.” Translation? We’re not here to play.
Tonight at 7:18 p.m. from ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Pentagon has moved about 130 soldiers along with mobile rocket launchers to a desolate island in the Aleutian chain of western Alaska amid a recent increase in Russian military planes and vessels approaching American territory. pic.twitter.com/TCuunBjN4u
— 🇺🇸ProudArmyBrat (@leslibless) September 18, 2024
Let’s be clear—Shemya Island is no random speck in the Pacific. It’s home to the COBRA DANE radar system, a key part of our missile defense infrastructure, now operated by the U.S. Space Force. This island has strategic significance dating back to World War II when the Japanese seized part of the Aleutians before U.S. forces took them back. Fast forward to today, and Shemya is still a linchpin in monitoring threats from adversaries in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
And if you think this is just a one-off, think again. Earlier this year, the Department of Defense released an updated Arctic Strategy, pinpointing the growing threats posed by—guess who?—Russia and China. The warming climate has opened up more areas in the Arctic for military operations, and our adversaries are taking full advantage. The joint naval patrol by Russia and China in 2023 was just the beginning, and now it seems like they’re upping the ante with these flybys.
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🇷🇺🇨🇳🇺🇸Russia and China use UNO reverse card on US.Moscow and Beijing sent LARGE naval patrol of 11 ships close to Aleutian Islands, Alaska, earlier this week, scaring Washington into sending 4 US ships and reconnaissance plane.
😂 Come on America, it’s just “navigational… pic.twitter.com/zE7vSoKFEk
— ⏳Towhee 🌏☮️ (@amborin) August 6, 2023
What’s most shocking here is how brazen our adversaries are becoming and how quickly the situation is escalating. The fact that Russian and Chinese bombers are patrolling so close to American airspace should alarm everyone, yet the Biden administration seems to be downplaying the growing threat from these two authoritarian regimes. The force projection in the Aleutians is only expected to last a few days, but the message is loud and clear: America is ready, and we won’t be caught off guard.
BREAKING: RUSSIAN FLYOVERS IN ALASKA. 130 soldiers deployed on an island to the Aleutian chain. GOP AK candidate @NickforAlaska breaks the latest about threats from Russia and China. @stevegrubershow pic.twitter.com/ysCBblR5ob
— Real America’s Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) September 26, 2024
