US Coast Guard Cutter Healy is one of the country's two icebreakers. The service is building a fleet of new vessels. (Janes/Michael Fabey)
Chinese and Russian forces are increasing their patrols and operations in the US waters of the Arctic and High North latitudes, according to US naval officials.
“Before 2021 we saw an average of about one [incursion] in the Bering [Sea] and Bering Strait [per year],” US Coast Guard (USCG) Pacific Area Commander Vice Admiral Andrew Tiongson said during a keynote speech at the Surface Navy Association National Symposium 2025.
“Last year, we saw 16,” Vice Adm Tiongson said. “That's from one to 16 in a very short period of time.”
He estimated that recently there has been an annual average of nine such incursions.
Also speaking on 15 January at the symposium, Admiral Daryl Caudle, commander of US Fleet Forces, said, “Russia considers the Arctic to be theirs. They want to draw a line around the North Pole.”
At a media roundtable before his speech that day, Adm Caudle pointed out that the melting ice cap will create opportunities for better transportation and improved logistics.
“There are going to be transit routes through the Arctic for longer periods of the year,” he said.
The area is also rich in natural resources, he added. “Rare earth materials, natural gas – it's all up there,” he continued.
Adm Caudle noted during the roundtable that combined maritime patrols are being conducted in the region by Russia and China. “Some exercises occur.”He said it appeared the Russians could be using “vessels of opportunity” – interfleet transfers from the Northern Fleet – for those operations with China.
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