Elements of the 11th Airborne Division and the 1st and 3rd Multi Domain Task Forces landed Thursday on Shemya Island, which is part of the Aleutian Islands. They were sent in response to recent Russian and Chinese air and sea probes into the Arctic region.

The U.S. Army has increased its presence in the state of Alaska following increased military activity from Russia and China in and around the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ). At the same time, state and federal officials from Alaska are calling for an increased military investment into the state.

US Army soldiers were deployed to a remote island southeast of Alaska last week as part of a “force protection operation” amid an expected increase in Russian and Chinese military exercises in the region,

Russian military planes and navy vessels, including two submarines, have come close to Alaska in the past week as Russia and China conducted joint drills.

The Army conducted a 'force projection' training exercise on Shemya Island, a remote Alaskan island less than 300 miles from the Russian coast.