Chinese icebreaker sailing in the US Arctic mobilises the US Coast Guard’s assets
China-flagged research ship Xue Long 2 sails in the US Arctic. (Photo: US Coast Guard)
The growing presence of Beijing’s vessels in the Arctic has been challenging the US, while the Coast Guard still struggles with ageing platforms and delayed acquisition programmes.
The US Coast Guard (USCG) reported on 26 July that the China-flagged research ship Xue Long 2 was intercepted while sailing on the US Extended Continental Shelf (ECS) nearly 290 nmi north of Utqiagvik, Alaska.
According to the service, the vessel operated by Beijing’s Polar Research Institute was 130 nmi inside the ECS boundary.
The presence of the icebreaker in the US Arctic mobilised USCG personnel and assets and a C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft from Air Station Kodiak was sent to the area.
The platform was deployed as part of the Operation Frontier Sentinel. Conducted by the Coast
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