Russia Tests American Readiness Amid COVID-19

*Originally published in The Cornell Review dated April 26, 2020*

The military, like all other facets of society, is faced with the unprecedented challenges that have come with COVID-19. However the Department of Defense has made it clear that force readiness remains high. 

On March 4th 2020, the U.S. Submarine Forces began a naval exercise named ICEX [Ice Exercise]. This military exercise is held for 3 weeks, biennially, to maintain military readiness in the Arctic region. Camp Seadragon, a temporary outpost on an Arctic ice float, hosts the exercise which will focus on the capabilities of the nuclear powered fast attack submarines USS Connecticut and USS Toledo. We recommend watching footage of the USS Toledo arriving at Camp Seadragon, it’s quite impressive. 

The Arctic is a busy region. ICEX has prompted Russia to send spy planes to monitor the naval exercises and probe for weaknesses in US defense capability. During the week of March 9th alone, there were three separate incidences of American F-22 and Canadian F-18 fighter jets, supported by American KC-135 and American E-3 airborne early warning aircraft, being scrambled by NORAD to intercept a mix of Russian IL-38 maritime reconnaissance aircraft, Russian Tupolev Tu-95 bombers and Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets.The North American Aerospace Command (NORAD) is a combined organization of the U.S. and Canadian militaries that provide airspace protection for North America.

Air Force Gen. Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy, NORAD commander, told lawmakers during a House Armed Services Committee hearing that in some instances, these Russian aircraft “loitered” above Camp Seadragon and the surrounding area.  Sometimes these aircraft came within 45 nautical miles of the Alaskan coast but remained in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) over international airspace for roughly four hours. The ADIZ requires aircraft to identify themselves to civil and military air traffic controllers due to national security concerns. The Russian aircraft never entered American or Canadian airspace. 

Via the NORAD twitter, Gen. O’Shaughnessy stated “COVID-19 or not, NORAD continues actively watching for threats and defending the homelands 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.”

Ready to Fight

In an April 9th Pentagon briefing commenced with a reflection of the 14,000 Americans lost to COVID-19, Deputy Defense Secretary David L. Norquist stated the Defense Department is “doing a lot to combat the spread of COVID-19 across the nation, but its primary mission — the defense of the nation and its interests — continues unabated.” 

Secretary Norquist continued, “To those who wish us harm, make no mistake: even with the challenges that this disease has brought to our shores, the Department of Defense stands ready to meet any threat and defend our nation. Over the last four years, we have rebuilt our military from the negative effects of sequestration. We have more people, more advanced equipment, more munitions and are better trained. If our adversaries think this is our moment of weakness, they are dangerously wrong.”