The United States deployed troops within American territory to watch the Russians. Homeland defense isn't all about air defense.
In response to Russian military activity near Alaska, the U.S. deployed what appears to be an augmented company of the 11th Airborne Division to Shemya Island:
As part of a “force projection operation,” the Army on Sept. 12 sent the soldiers to Shemya Island, some 1,200 miles (1,930 kilometers) southwest of Anchorage, where the U.S. Air Force maintains an air station that dates to World War II. The soldiers brought two High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, with them.
This seems unusual, no? Unless I simply don't notice routine deployments like that.
Hey, best not to take chances lest we have to transition to Operation Icy Sword. Homeland defense isn't only about air defense.
UPDATE: I guess our line in the snow worked:
About 130 U.S. soldiers are returning to their bases after being deployed last week to a remote Alaska island with mobile rocket launchers amid a spike in Russian military activity off the western reaches of the U.S., a military official said Thursday.
The Pentagon said there was "no cause for alarm." Well alright, then.
UPDATE: This, on the other hand, is pretty routine:
Four Russian military aircraft were tracked operating in the Alaska air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Monday, according to a release by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) on the same day.
The Russians crossed into our air defense identification zone (ADIZ)--which is more expansive than our territorial air space. China, however, did cross into Japanese air space as the article notes (and links to an article on it).
NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here.
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