A significant joint naval operation conducted by China and Russia close to Alaska's coast has provoked a large-scale response from the U.S. Navy.

The operation, involving 11 warships, was detected off the southwestern coast of Alaska, as Fox News reports. In response, the U.S. Navy swiftly mobilized four destroyers to guide the foreign vessels away from American waters.

Unprecedented scale of joint naval task force

Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) received a briefing on the event from U.S. defense officials.

He expressed concern about the operation's scale and scope, saying:

This is unprecedented in terms of the size and scope of this joint naval task force between Russia and China, working very closely together. A very large surface action task force between our two main adversaries, probing very closely to United States shores is concerning.

The senator went on to discuss the broader implications of the operation. He warned of a new era of "authoritarian aggression" led by Beijing and Moscow.

U.S. response to naval task force near Alaska

The first report of the Chinese and Russian naval operation came from the Wall Street Journal.

Besides the deployment of four U.S. destroyers, Washington also dispatched P-8 Poseidon aircraft.

These aircraft shadowed the foreign ships, ensuring they stayed away from the Alaskan coast and the Aleutian Islands.

Despite the foreign ships' proximity, they did not enter U.S. territorial waters. This, however, still marks a stark escalation compared to a similar incident in September of 2022.

Subsequently, a smaller group of Chinese and Russian ships prompted the U.S. to send a single Coast Guard cutter.

Significant improvements in U.S. readiness and response

According to Sullivan, the U.S. response to this recent operation showcased improved readiness.

He highlighted the aforementioned increased deployment of four U.S. destroyers and air assets, including P-8's, to monitor the large-scale Russian-Chinese task force. Sullivan said:

That's a lot of naval power up here demonstrating American resolve.

Sullivan added that he will continue to push for more Naval, Coast Guard, and Marine presence in the region. He further urged the Biden administration to commit to "serious, robust defense budgets."

China and Russia's naval operation: A historical first

Brent Sadler, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, commented on the incident to the Journal.

He underscored the operation's significance, stating, "It is a historical first." He further noted:

Given the context of the war in Ukraine and tensions around Taiwan, this move is highly provocative.

The White House and the Pentagon have yet to comment on the event.

Fox News Digital was referred to the U.S. Northern Command for comment, which has not yet responded.

Conclusion

• China and Russia conducted a large-scale naval operation near Alaska's southwestern coast this week.
• The U.S. Navy responded by mobilizing four destroyers and P-8 Poseidon aircraft to guide the foreign ships away from American waters.
• This operation marks an unprecedented escalation in terms of the size and scope of joint naval activities by these two nations near U.S. waters.
• Senator Dan Sullivan praised the improved readiness and response from the U.S. Navy compared to similar incidents in the past.
• The operation is being viewed as a sign of increasing authoritarian aggression led by Beijing and Moscow.
• Experts like Brent Sadler, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, consider this event a historical first and highly provocative given global tensions.