#Aleutians

"Reunification of the Aleutians: A strategic proposal for the Commander Islands

In this op-ed, Lt. Col. Jeffery M. Fritz proposes the US buy the Commander Islands from Russia in order to better monitor Chinese subs.

The proposed $15 billion acquisition of the Commander Islands and their surrounding Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) could follow international legal frameworks, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Opens in a new window) (UNCLOS). Although the United States has not ratified UNCLOS, it adheres to its key provisions as customary international law. US maritime operations already align with UNCLOS principles, including EEZ rights and freedom of navigation. Structuring the transaction accordingly would reinforce the United States’ commitment to a rules-based order and ensure legitimacy in the eyes of the international community.

The EEZ of this purchase would account for approximately 431,014 square kilometers, roughly the size of California, directly in the middle of China’s submarine route into the Arctic. This would expand the US EEZ by 3.8 percent and make the existing United States Aleutian Island Chain EEZ contiguous, thus allowing for persistent surveillance. The proposed valuation is structured as follows: $6.5 billion for the EZZ, $4 billion for Natural Resources associated with the area, $2.5 billion for Biodiversity and Conservation Value, and $2 billion for infrastructure. This proposal would signal a long-term vision of generating a mutually beneficial path forward in a rapidly developing Arctic landscape.

By acquiring the Commander Islands, the United States would gain an essential location for deploying advanced undersea surveillance technologies, including the Integrated Undersea Surveillance System (IUSS), seabed-mounted sonar arrays, and satellite-integrated radar systems. This directly supports the objectives outlined in Section 18 of the April 2025 Executive Order on Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance (Opens in a new window), which mandates the development of a strategy to secure Arctic waterways and ensure American prosperity amid evolving security challenges."

https://breakingdefense.com/2025/07/reunification-of-the-aleutians-a-strategic-proposal-for-the-commander-islands/

New museum exhibit explores Unalaska’s icy past.

A new exhibit at the Museum of the #Aleutians tells the story of Unalaska’s icy past and the role sea ice played in shaping the land, its animals and people.

https://www.kucb.org/science-environment/2025-07-02/new-museum-exhibit-explores-unalaskas-icy-past #museums #globalmuseum #exhibitions

The Cascading Effect of Climate Change in the Aleutians and Across the Bering Sea

The waters in the region are warming four times faster than the rest of the ocean

https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/cascading-effect-climate-change-aleutians-and-across-bering-sea

#Aleutians #Bering #ClimateChange #GlobalBurning #ClimateDestruction #ClimateSuicide #MassExtinction #pollution #ecology #environment #climate

This month's Journey Plotter update:
New is the journey of United States Coast & Geodetic Survey (now #NOAA) steamer USC&GSS Pioneer, 1924-1925; surveying the #Aleutians and other parts of #Alaska, and off #California.

#NavalHistory #CitizenScience

U.S. Coast Guard encounters Russian naval vessel near Aleutian Islands
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Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley (WMEC 39) detected and followed a Russian Federation Vishnya-class naval vessel Monday south of the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Alex Haley patrolled under Operation Frontier Sentinel, a Coast Guard...
https://alaska-native-news.com/u-s-coast-guard-encounters-russian-naval-vessel-near-aleutian-islands/75262/
#russian #warship #alex-haley #coast-guard #kodiak #aleutians #alaska

Murkowski, Sullivan Statements on Chinese and Russian Vessels in U.S. Waters off Coast of Aleutians
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Photo:Xinhua

U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) released the following statements regarding the 11 foreign military vessels from China and Russia operating...
https://alaska-native-news.com/murkowski-sullivan-statements-on-chinese-and-russian-vessels-in-u-s-waters-off-coast-of-aleutians/69258/
#china #russia #aleutians #flotilla #response #incursion