Anchorage, Alaska —The Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Region detected, tracked, positively identified and intercepted two Russian Tu-95 Bear-H bombers entering and operating within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Monday, according to a media release from the command.
Two U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft intercepted the Russian aircraft which remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace.
The recent Russian activity in the North American ADIZ is not seen as a threat nor is the activity seen as provocative, according to the release.
In September, a U.S. Coast Guard ship on routine patrol in the Bering Sea came across a guided missile cruiser from China, 86 miles north of Alaska’s Kiska Island. The patrol boat later discovered there were two other Chinese naval ships and four Russian naval vessels, including a destroyer, all in single formation, according to a report from the Associated Press.
NORAD tracks and positively identifies foreign military aircraft that enter the ADIZ. NORAD routinely monitors foreign aircraft movements and as necessary, escorts them from the ADIZ.
NORAD employs a layered defense network of satellites, ground-based radars, airborne radar and fighter aircraft to track and identify aircraft and inform appropriate actions.
The Coast Guard has not released additional details on the September incident.