The US Coast Guard is responding to the presence of five Chinese research vessels operating in the US Arctic, officials confirmed this week.
The Coast Guard Arctic District deployed a C-130J Hercules aircraft from Air Station Kodiak on Wednesday to query the vessels, which are operating in or near US waters. The operation was conducted in coordination with US Northern Command and Alaskan Command, which routinely track foreign vessel activity in the region as part of homeland defense and maritime security efforts.
The Chinese vessels identified are: Xue Long 2, Shen Hai Yi Hao, Zhong Shan Da Xue Ji Di (Liberia-flagged), Ji Di, and Tan Suo San Hao.
Rear Adm. Bob Little, commander of the Coast Guard’s Arctic District, said the expanding fleet and aviation patrols are vital for countering foreign influence in the far north.
Last week the Coast Guard officially commissioned the icebreaker cutter Storis in Juneau and on Saturday the Storis arrived in Seward.
“Commissioning the Storis and Earl Cunningham increases our ability to control, secure, and defend Alaska’s U.S. border and maritime approaches,” Little said, referencing the service’s newest polar icebreaker and fast response cutter, both added to the fleet this summer. “As we continue to grow our surface fleet, we utilize our aviation resources which play a vital role in countering foreign malign influence.”
The Arctic is rapidly emerging as a global zone of competition, with China, Russia, and the US all maneuvering for influence over shipping lanes, resources, and strategic positioning. The Coast Guard remains the only US surface presence in the Arctic, a role that has grown more critical as activity in the region intensifies.
President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” signed into law on July 4, directs nearly $25 billion to the Coast Guard — the largest investment in its history. It includes new icebreakers and Fast Response Cutters to strengthen Arctic security and US maritime defense.