Ships of the United States Navy have entered the Barents Sea for the first time in four years.

This is reported by the press service of the U.S. Navy.

It is reported that two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) and USS Stout (DDG 55), which are assigned to the Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier strike group, have entered the sea.

“Our ability to conduct sustained operations in the challenging Arctic region is critical to maintaining an enhanced global presence,” Rear Admiral Sean Bailey, commander of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group stated.

U.S. Navy operations in this region are in line with international law and are conducted to increase awareness of the territory, deter adversaries, and practice election campaigns in the Arctic.

“Climate change is changing the Arctic, where melting ice and rising temperatures are leading to increased human and military activity, including from our competitors,” the U.S. Navy mentioned.

Previously, such an event was held in 2020, when three U.S. Navy ships conducted joint maneuvers with the Royal British Navy ship HMS Kent.

In early October, Militarnyi reported that China conducted its first patrol in the Arctic Ocean. The Chinese unit operated as part of a joint patrol with the Russian coast guard.

At that time, the joint patrol of four ships was detected by the U.S. Coast Guard. The crew of an HC-130J Super Hercules aircraft taking off from Coast Guard Air Station Kadjak spotted the two Russian FSB Coast Guard ships and two Chinese Coast Guard ships about 440 miles southwest of St. Lawrence Island.

This was the northernmost location the U.S. Coast Guard had ever observed Chinese Coast Guard vessels.

The vessels were transiting in a northeasterly direction, remaining approximately five miles inside Russia’s exclusive economic zone.