Nine US fighter jets were scrambled to intercept five Russian warplanes detected off the coast of Alaska, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has confirmed. The aircraft included two Tu-95 long-range strategic bombers, two Su-35 fighter planes, and one A-50 spy plane, which were tracked entering Alaska’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Thursday.
NORAD responded by launching two F-16s, two F-35s, one E-3 early warning aircraft, and four KC-135 tanker planes to intercept, identify, and escort the Russian aircraft out of the zone. The command stated that Russian activity in the ADIZ is a regular occurrence and not typically considered a threat, adding that the planes did not enter US or Canadian airspace.
The ADIZ is a defined stretch of international airspace where aircraft must be readily identified for national security purposes. Similar incidents occurred last September and in previous months, including joint Russian and Chinese incursions. NORAD has previously described such activity as a test of US and Nato preparedness.
Relations between Washington and Moscow remain tense as President Donald Trump pursues a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine, with Russian President Vladimir Putin demanding major territorial concessions that Ukraine has refused. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed Putin’s claims to disputed regions.
