Four Russian Bombers Detected Near Alaska, US Rushes F-16 Jets to Intercept, NORAD Clarifies

The United States detected four Russian aircraft over Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone on Monday after which fighter jets from Canada and the US were scrambled to intercept the jets.

However, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) called it a “routine” incident and said that the jets did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace.

“NORAD detected, tracked, positively identified and intercepted four Russian aircraft entering and operating within the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone on Feb. 13,” it said in a statement.

“Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace,” it added.

NORAD dispatched two F-16 fighter jets to intercept the Russian aircraft, which included a TU-95 BEARH-H and SU-35 fighter jet. It also sent out two F-35A fighters, an E-3 Sentry, and two KC-135 Stratotankers to assist.

Tu-95 MC is a Russian strategic bomber capable of destroying by a wide range of arms, including nuclear weapons, targets in remote areas and in the deep rear of continental theatres of military hostilities.

It further said that the Russian activity in the North American ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat and neither is it provocative.

The incident was reported days after the US shot down multiple unidentified “objects,” in North American airspace over the US and Canada.

NORAD clarified that the detection of Russian flight was unrelated to the string of suspected balloons were shot down. Two unidentified objects were shot down by American jets recently, one in northeastern Alaska on Friday and one over Canada’s Yukon territory on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry said two Tu-95MS turboprop strategic bombers performed a flight above neutral waters of the Bering Sea on Tuesday, according to Russian news agency TASS. The mission continued for more than seven hours, it added.

The latest ‘incursion’ also came amid increased tensions between Russia and the West over the war in Ukraine.

Since 2007, Russian aircraft have been intercepted in the North American ADIZ six to seven times a year.

Two Russian maritime patrol aircraft were detected and tracked off the coasts of Alaska and Canada in September, while a Russian surveillance plane entered the Alaska ADIZ in August.

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