Alaska’s Arctic Waters: The Overlooked Front in U.S. Homeland Defense

China and Russia are pushing closer to our northern doorstep — and Alaska is the front line.

Introduction

Over the past year, U.S. Coast Guard cutters have repeatedly intercepted foreign “research” ships operating just beyond the 200-mile line off Alaska’s Arctic coast. At the same time, the U.S. Navy has kept up under-ice submarine operations, while Russian aircraft test our air defense zone and Sino-Russian flotillas sail through the Bering Strait.

Map Legend
Dashed Red LinesPatrol routes and foreign vessel tracks monitored by the U.S. Coast Guard near Alaska’s Arctic coast.
Solid Blue LinesProjected Arctic shipping lanes, including the Northern Sea Route (along Russia) and emerging trans-Arctic corridors.
Shaded Blue ZoneExercise Northern Edge 2025 training areas, where U.S. and allied forces conducted joint, multi-domain operations.
Black Ship IconsLocations of recent intercepts of foreign “research” vessels near Utqiaġvik.
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)U.S. waters extending 200 nautical miles from Alaska’s coast, where America exercises sovereign rights over resources.

The takeaway is simple: America’s Arctic is no longer quiet. It’s contested.

Why Americans Should Care
Alaska is not a remote outpost. It is our Arctic front yard, rich in resources, with thousands of miles of shoreline and a narrow strait that connects the Pacific to the Arctic. When Chinese “research” vessels map our seabeds or Russian aircraft enter the Air Defense Identification Zone, they’re probing how close they can get to our homeland. What happens off Alaska affects energy security, trade routes, and even the protection of undersea cables that carry the world’s internet traffic.

RAND’s latest study underscores this point. In The Future of Maritime Presence in the Central Arctic Ocean (July 2025), RAND concludes that as sea ice retreats, the Arctic will draw in both Arctic and non-Arctic actors for economic, political, and military gain. They warn that competition will intensify in phases: first commercial, then political, and ultimately strategic. For the U.S., that means maritime presence is not optional — it is essential to prevent rivals from dictating the rules of the Arctic.

Implications for the Navy
Day-to-day patrols fall to the Coast Guard, which provides the only regular surface presence in the Arctic. But the Navy’s role is no less critical. Its submarines operate beneath the ice, practicing for deterrence and warfighting in a domain where rivals are gaining ground. The Navy also views Alaska as part of the defense-in-depth of the United States — the first line of detection and deterrence against missile submarines, long-range bombers, and other threats moving south from the Arctic.

This year’s Northern Edge 2025 exercise made that point clear. More than 6,400 U.S. and Canadian service members, 100 aircraft, and seven warships, including USS Abraham Lincoln and her carrier strike group, trained across Alaska. Running alongside Arctic Edge, the exercises brought together INDOPACOM and NORTHCOM to practice joint, multi-domain operations — from the Aleutians to Adak. In other words: Alaska is not just about defending the homeland, it is a launchpad for projecting U.S. power into the Indo-Pacific.

The challenge remains that America’s icebreaker fleet is thin, while Russia operates dozens and China fields new polar-capable vessels. Without recapitalization and greater presence, the U.S. risks falling behind in its own backyard. RAND echoes this warning: presence and infrastructure — from icebreakers to domain awareness — are key to avoiding strategic surprise.

Implications for Our Allies
The Arctic is no longer an American issue alone. NATO allies — Canada, Denmark, Norway — all face the same northern pressure. China brands itself a “near-Arctic state” and seeks influence in waters that directly border allied territory. Coordinated exercises like Northern Edge and Arctic Edge are proof that alliances matter. Shared domain awareness and investment in icebreaking and seabed security will be vital. If America steps back, allies are left exposed — and adversaries will fill the gap.

The Bottom Line
Alaska’s Arctic waters are an overlooked but critical front in U.S. homeland defense. The Coast Guard may be on point, but the Navy’s presence under the ice and in the chokepoints is just as important. Together, they demonstrate that the U.S. is watching, ready, and committed to protecting its northern approaches.

That’s why we launched Charting the Course: Voices That Matter — a 24-part educational series breaking down how we got here, what went wrong, and what must happen next. Our goal is simple: educate the public, connect the dots, and build the support needed to close the readiness gap before it’s too late.

Let’s roll.

Global Risks to Undersea Infrastructure and the Growing Need for Defense

All Hands on Deck by StrongerNavy.org

Undersea cables are the unseen arteries of modern communication, carrying 99% of the world’s internet and telecommunications traffic. Yet, as geopolitical tensions rise, these vital systems are becoming frequent targets of sabotage and hybrid warfare. Incidents from the Baltic Sea to the Taiwan Strait highlight both their strategic importance and vulnerabilities.

The Stakes: Why Undersea Cables Matter

  • Global Communication: These cables carry 99% of international data, enabling everything from financial transactions to government communications.
  • Economic Lifeline: Damaging these cables can disrupt trillions of dollars in daily transactions, impacting economies and businesses globally.
  • Military and Security Concerns: Undersea cables are vital for military communication, making them high-value targets in hybrid warfare strategies.

Recent Incidents and Their Implications
Baltic Sea

  • October 2023: The Hong Kong-registered containership Newnew Polar Bear dragged its anchor across the seabed, damaging the Balticconnector natural gas pipeline and data cables in the Gulf of Finland. The ship fled toward Russia, evading investigation.
  • December 2024: A power cable between Finland and Estonia was severed, and suspicion fell on a Russian “shadow fleet” tanker, the Eagle S. Finnish authorities found specialized surveillance equipment on board, allegedly used to monitor naval activity.

Taiwan Strait

  • February 2023: Two undersea cables connecting Taiwan to the Matsu Islands were severed by a Chinese fishing boat and cargo vessel, leaving the island without internet for weeks.
  • January 2025: The freighter Shunxin-39 severed a cable off Taiwan’s northern coast. Although the ship escaped investigation, Taiwan suspects deliberate sabotage. Herming Chiueh, Deputy Head of Taiwan’s Digital Ministry, said the cable-cutting was likely intentional: “You need to accidentally [drop your] anchor on the cable, and then you need to accidentally turn on your engine with the anchor down, and even [if] you realize your anchor is down, you need to keep the engine moving until you cut the cable.”

Red Sea

  • Houthi rebels were suspected of damaging cables belonging to four major telecom networks, though the group denied involvement.

The Strategic Significance of Undersea Infrastructure

  • Economic Importance: These cables carry trillions of dollars in financial transactions daily. Disruptions can cripple economies, hinder communication, and destabilize global markets.
  • Military Implications: Reliable undersea communications are vital for military operations and coordination. Sabotage could cripple responses during crises, delaying information flow and strategic decisions.
  • Geopolitical Pressures: Russia and China employ unorthodox tactics to assert dominance and destabilize their adversaries.

U.S. Navy and Allied Responses

  • Enhanced Patrols: NATO and allied nations are increasing naval presence in the Baltic and other regions to monitor suspicious activity.
  • Technological Investments: AI-driven systems and underwater sensors are being deployed to detect and deter sabotage.
  • Policy and Collaboration: Strengthened international legal frameworks and collaborative efforts among allies are essential for defending undersea infrastructure.

The Way Forward

  • Mitigating Risks: Building redundant systems, deploying advanced monitoring technologies, and fostering public-private partnerships are key steps to reduce vulnerabilities.
  • A Call for Action: Safeguarding undersea cables requires prioritization at the highest levels of government and international collaboration to counter hybrid threats.

Undersea cables, often taken for granted, are critical to the global economy, security, and military operations. The recent spate of incidents underscores the need for vigilance, innovation, and collaboration. For the U.S. and its allies, safeguarding these invisible lifelines is not just a technical challenge—it’s a strategic imperative.