A US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III flight was turned back from New Zealand after a Russian missile launch warning.

A US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III flight bound for Antarctica was forced to return to Christchurch, New Zealand, following a warning from Russia regarding potentially hazardous space activity. The New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) to alert pilots of a planned missile launch and associated hazards in the Southern Ocean. While the flight was the first of the annual Winter Fly-in period, the Russian warning was described by some analysts as a potential information operation or a 'dummy' missile launch. Because there were no Russian vessels in the immediate area, the launch appeared to be a strategic show of force rather than a physical event. Foreign Minister Winston Peters noted that the information provided by Russia was unclear. The event highlights Russia's use of international rules to project power in the Pacific, while New Zealand and the U.S. maintain a significant presence in the Antarctic region.

Sources

• The Hill
  US Air Force plane turns back from Antarctica after Russian missile threat
• CNN
  US Air Force flight to Antarctica turns back after space activity warning
• MiGFlug
  US Antarctic Flight Turns Back Over Missile Warning
• Simple Flying
  150 Minutes To Nowhere: US Air Force Scraps C-17 Globemaster Flight Over Russian Missile Alert
• The Diplomat – Asia
  Russia’s Fake Missile Test Warning to New Zealand