US Intercepts And Diverts 4 Russian Fighter Jets Flying Near Alaska

The US Air Force scrambled fighter jets to intercept and divert four Russian planes flying near Alaska. The North American Aerospace Defense Command released a statement on Twitter on Tuesday that said the Russian aircraft was “detected, tracked and positively identified” on February 13. These include TU-95 BEAR-H bombers and SU-35 fighter jets, the company said in a statement. Although the aircraft were operating within the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), they were in international airspace.
“NORAD anticipated this Russian operation and, as a result of our planning, was prepared to intercept it,” the statement said.

NORAD conducts routine intercept of Russian aircraft entering Air Defense Identification Zone. pic.twitter.com/rJdML4Co1x

— North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) February 14, 2023

“The Russian aircraft was in international airspace and did not enter US or Canadian sovereign airspace. This Russian action in the North American ADIZ occurs routinely and is not viewed as a threat, nor is the action seen as provocative,” it added.

According to Fox News, the United States has intercepted Russian aircraft in the North American ADIZ six to seven times a year since 2007.

In more detail, two Russian maritime patrol aircraft were detected and tracked off the coast of Alaska and Canada in September, while a Russian surveillance aircraft entered the Alaska ADIZ in August.

The latest incident comes hours after two Dutch F-35 fighter jets intercepted three Russian military aircraft in Poland and ejected them on Monday.

Reuters news agency reported that the ministry said the “then unknown aircraft approached the Polish NATO area of responsibility from Kaliningrad”.