U.S. Air Force Intercept Russian Bombers Flying Close to Alaska

U.S. Air Force jets intercept 2 Russian bombers flying close to Alaska – NBC News

Two US fighter jets responded to two Russian bombers as they flew too close for comfort near Alaska Monday. In a statement, the North American Aerospace Defense Command said two F-16 fighter jets intercepted two Russian bombers flying close to Alaska.

NORAD said it “detected, tracked, positively identified and intercepted” the two Russian Tu-95 Bear-H bombers as they entered the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone.”

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, air defense identification zones are areas of airspace in which all aircraft must be identified, located, and their flight plans controlled for national security reasons.

The Russian defense ministry reported on Tuesday that two Tu-95MS strategic bombers had flown for over 12 hours over the Pacific and Bering oceans as well as the Sea of Okhotsk.

NORAD, the U.S., and Canada’s air defense organization, says it is neither threatening nor provocative. However, this comes at a time when Russian and US relations have become strained.

With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the U.S. supporting financially, giving humanitarian aid and military assistance while slamming Russia with sanctions, the situation has grown tenser.

Russia and Alaska share a close border, so it has created a number of interesting moments. It has been reported that a boat carrying Russians escaping the draft arrived on Alaskan shores recently.

NORAD reported that it detected and tracked two Russian maritime patrol aircraft operating in the Alaskan and Canadian air defense identification zones last month.

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