Army sends troops, artillery to the Aleutian Islands as Russian planes again fly near Alaska
The 11th Airborne Division and partners moved into Shemya Island to show how quickly they can deploy in the event of a mobilization.
Nicholas Slayton
Posted on Sep 15, 2024 3:42 PM EDT
The U.S. Army sent paratroopers, radar platoons and at least one M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System to a tiny island off of Alaska this week, in a sudden show of force projection following recent Russian and Chinese fly bys.
Troops with the 11th Airborne Division, as well as the the 1st and 3rd Multi Domain Task Forces, deployed to Shemya Island, part of the Aleutian Islands, on Sept. 12.
The Air Force, as well as the Alaska Air National Guards’ 176th Wing, ferried the troops and equipment to Shemya Island. Once there, they worked quickly to set up the HIMARS system and get into position, to show how quickly the military could deploy. Radar platoons set up Q-53 radars near the coast, while soldiers took position around the island.
The force project event is partially a response to a joint Russian and Chinese bomber aircraft patrol in the Pacific in July. Four bombers flew inside of the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone, prompting the United States and Canada to send six fighter jets, including American F-35s and F-16s plus Canadian CF-18s to intercept the planes.
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/army-aleutian-islands-alaska-force-projection/
