Photo: Stocktrek Images / Stocktrek Images / Getty Images
The United States dispatched four Navy destroyers off the coast of Alaska in response to a joint military operation involving Russian and Chinese warships.
The operation included 11 warships, which were spotted near the Aleutian Islands off the southwestern coast of Alaska on Saturday (August 5).
In response, the Navy sent the four destroyers and a P-8 Poseidon aircraft to intercept the warships. The Russian and Chinese vessels did not enter U.S. territorial waters.
"Air and maritime assets under our commands conducted operations to assure the defense of the United States and Canada. The patrol remained in international waters and was not considered a threat," Northern Command told the Wall Street Journal.
"This is a stark reminder of Alaska's proximity to both China and Russia, as well as the essential role our state plays in our national defense and territorial sovereignty. Incursions like this are why we are working so hard to secure funding and resources to expand our military's capacity and capabilities in Alaska, and why our colleagues must join us in supporting those investments," Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski said in a statement.