US deploys four warships near Alaska after China-Russia naval patrol exercises

News, US August 8, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

The U.S. Navy deployed four destroyer warships and 11 support aircraft, including the P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance plane, near Alaska. The development came shortly after Russian and Chinese naval forces conducted joint naval patrolling exercises close to the Aleutian Islands near the northernmost U.S. state.

According to two U.S. lawmakers from Alaska, Senator Lisa Murkowski and Senator Dan Sullivan, a joint Russian and Chinese flotilla consisting of 11 warships sailed near Alaska and the Aleutian Islands earlier this week.

The lawmakers said in a joint statement that they had been in “close contact with leadership from Alaska Command for several days, and received detailed classified briefings about the foreign vessels transiting U.S. waters in the Aleutians.”

“This is a stark reminder of Alaska’s proximity to both China and Russia, as well as the essential role our state plays in our national defense and territorial sovereignty.” both said in a statement.

The U.S. lawmakers confirmed that following the event, the United States Navy dispatched four of its destroyers in a monitoring formation.

The warships include USS John S. McCain (DDG-56), USS Benfold (DDG-65), USS Chung-Hoon (DDG-93), and USS John Finn (DDG-113). The U.S. Navy ships are accompanied by several aircraft inducing a P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

^{The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG 65) steams in formation with Carrier Strike Group 5 during Carrier Strike Group Exercise 2022. (Image Credit: U.S. Navy/MC1 Ian Cotter)}

Apart from issuing a statement on July 26, about the third joint maritime patrol in the western and northern waters of the Pacific Ocean by the Chinese and Russian naval forces, the Chinese Ministry of Defense has been silent on the sailing operation and U.S.’s reaction to it. However, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington said that the joint patrol by Russian and Chinese naval forces was not aimed at rattling the U.S. Navy.

Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said that “according to the annual cooperation plan between the Chinese and Russian militaries, naval vessels of the two countries have recently conducted joint maritime patrols in relevant waters in the western and northern Pacific Ocean. This action is not targeted at any third party and has nothing to do with the current international and regional situation.”

The first such incident was recorded in 2015 when a Chinese amphibious ship came close to the U.S. state of Alaska. A replenishment vessel and three surface combatant ships were reported sailing in the international waters of the Bering Sea.

^{This aerial photo taken on January 2, 2017, shows a Chinese navy formation, including the aircraft carrier Liaoning (center), during military drills in the South China Sea. (Image Credit: STR/AFP/via Twitter)}

Earlier in 2022, Alaskan representatives Sullivan and Murkowski reported a similar incident and alerted the U.S. high command. “Last summer, the Chinese and Russian navies conducted a similar operation off the coast of Alaska,” the senators reminded in their statement.

“Given that our response was tepid, I strongly encouraged senior military leaders to be ready with a much more robust response should such another joint Chinese/Russian naval operation occur off our coast,” the statement added.