High-Stakes Encounter: Russian Aircraft Detected off Alaska

NORAD detected multiple Russian military aircraft in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone. US and Canadian jets intercepted the aircraft, which did not enter sovereign airspace. The actions demonstrate the ongoing vigilance and readiness of North American defense systems to respond to potential threats in international airspace.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) announced Thursday that it had detected and tracked multiple Russian military aircraft operating within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) off the coast of Alaska.

NORAD identified these as two Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers, two Su-35 fighters, and one A-50 early warning and control aircraft. In response, NORAD launched two F-16s, two F-35s, one E-3 sentry aircraft, and four KC-135 refueling aircraft to intercept and positively identify the Russian aircraft.

The Russian military aircraft remained in international airspace and did not infringe upon U.S. or Canadian sovereign airspace. NORAD assured that the aircraft were escorted until they left the Alaskan ADIZ, highlighting continuous monitoring and readiness to protect North American airspace.