The U.S. military has deployed over 100 soldiers with mobile rocket launchers to Shemya Island in the Aleutian chain of Alaska amid increasing Russian and Chinese military activity near American territory. This move comes as eight Russian planes and four navy vessels, including submarines, approached Alaska during joint military drills by Russia and China. U.S. officials stressed that although the planes did not breach U.S. airspace, the situation is closely monitored. The deployment, part of a 'force projection operation,' includes two High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and follows recent calls for a stronger military presence in the region. U.S. forces also include a guided missile destroyer and a Coast Guard vessel. NORAD has tracked Russian military planes in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone over a four-day span.