China and Russia With Joint Air Patrol off Alaska: First of Its Kind in the Area
American and Canadian fighters intercepted two Russian and two Chinese military aircrafts, which were operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone earlier in July. (Photo: US Department of Defense).
Last month, China conducted a naval transit as well as a joint air patrol with Russia, off the coast of Alaska. The latter joint operation with bombers is a new development and is a sign of closer military cooperation, says Professor Øystein Tunsjø at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies.
In July, Russian and Chinese bombers conducted a joint air patrol in international airspace off the coast of the US state of Alaska.
The joint operation is the first of its kind between the two countries in this area.
The flight took place in international airspace, and the patrol was intercepted by US and Canadian fighters under Norad's lead, the bi-national command between the United States and Canada.
A total of four aircraft, two Russian TU-95 bombers and two Chinese PRC H-6 bombers, entered the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (see fact box) but stayed in international airspace until they were escorted out of the zone, according to a press release from Norad.
The Norad command specifies that the Russian and Chinese flight activity in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone is not considered a threat.
The Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) begins where national airspace ends. In this area of international airspace, aircraft must identify themselves due to national security reasons.
Expanding into the Pacific Ocean
Professor Øystein Tunsjø at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies, Norwegian Defense University College, tells High North News that the bomber exercise follows a naval exercise earlier in July.
"This is not particularly sensational. China has operated naval vessels off the coast of Alaska since September 2015, including with Russia."
He points out that such a development is not unnatural, given that China has built the world's largest navy in terms of the number of ships.
"The bombers are a new element, but it follows a pattern where, for several years, they have practiced a lot together, including in international airspace around or over Japan. They are now expanding further into the Pacific Ocean," explains Tunsjø.
The first time that we've seen these two countries fly together like that.
First time
The US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin, commented on the incident during a press conference and said that the overflight did not come as a surprise.
"We closely monitored these aircraft, tracked the aircraft, intercepted the aircraft, which demonstrates that forces are at the ready all the time and we have very good surveillance capabilities."
"But again, it's the first time that we've seen these two countries fly together like that," continues Austin.
According to the news agency AP News, among others, this is the first time Chinese bombers have flown into the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone and the first time that Chinese and Russian aircraft have departed from the same base in northeast Russia.
"In terms of the relationship between Russia and China, this is a relationship that we have been concerned about throughout, mostly because we're concerned about China providing support to Russia's illegal and unnecessary war in Ukraine," the Secretary of Defense adds.
In July, the US Coast Guard observed four Chinese warships operating in international waters, but in the US exclusive economic zone, off the coast of Alaska. The photo depicts Chinese warships observed by the US Coast Guard observed near the Aleutian Islands in Alaska in August 2021. (Archive photo: Ensign Bridget Boyle / US Coast Guard).
Sign of closer cooperation
Tunsjø believes the recent air patrol signifies closer military cooperation between China and Russia.
"What China is doing is hypocritical as they operate in the US economic zone and international waters, but protest when the US does the same in the South China Sea," he says and adds:
"Furthermore, this undermines Beijing's position of not cooperating closely with Russia in a military context. Although this is not direct arms aid to Russia, it sends a signal that in turn makes it natural for the US, NATO, and the EU to criticize China's close ties to Russia and China's more assertive and aggressive behavior."
Tunsjø believes that the latest development will also contribute to strengthening the US alliances in the region, particularly with countries such as Japan, South Korea, the Philipines, Australia, and New Zealand, which China protests.
"That is why Beijing is shooting itself in the foot with this. At the same time, it is a natural development when China has become so militarily powerful, and China and Russia want to stand together."
The new US Arctic strategy from the US Department of Defense highlights the increasing cooperation between Russia and China in the Arctic. It points out how this development, together with other changes, could potentially impact the region's stability.
Although there are still significant disagreements in several areas between the two countries, the increasing cooperation is worrying, reads the report.
