Russian jets enter Alaska's air defence zone, US forces scramble

The North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) reported detecting and tracking several Russian military aircraft in Alaska’s Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ), according to a statement on its website.

The aircraft included two Tu-95 strategic bombers, two Su-35 fighters, and an A-50 airborne early warning plane.

In response, NORAD scrambled two F-16s, two F-35s, and an E-3 radar surveillance aircraft. US and Canadian forces escorted the Russian planes until they left the ADIZ.

NORAD emphasised that the Russian aircraft did not enter US or Canadian airspace. Such activity near Alaska is regularly monitored and is not considered an immediate threat. 

The ADIZ is an area of international airspace where timely identification of aircraft is required for national security purposes.

By Jeyhun Aghazada