The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) announced that it positively identified two groups of two Russian maritime reconnaissance aircraft entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Friday, Sept. 21, 2018.

According to the NORAD statement, the Russian aircraft remained in international airspace North of Alaska and at no time entered ‘sovereign United States or Canadian airspace’.

NORAD positively identified two groups of two #Russian maritime reconnaissance aircraft entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone #ADIZ. The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace North of Alaska and DID NOT enter sovereign U.S. or Canadian airspace. pic.twitter.com/llYzOtQ2AD — NORAD & USNORTHCOM (@Norad_Northcom) September 22, 2018

The NORAD statement did not specify the distance the bombers flew from the west coast of Alaska, probably to protect operational security (OPSEC).The ADIZ extends approximately 200 miles off Alaska’s western coast.

“NORAD is committed to the defense of the United States and Canada and stands ready in our role of detecting, tracking and identifying aircraft approaching U.S. and Canadian airspace,” said General Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy, the NORAD Commander.

On Sept. 11, two U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jets, assigned to the NORAD, intercepted two Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers off the coast of Alaska. A similar incident occurred earlier the month, when two NORAD Raptors were scrambled to intercept and escort two Russian Tu-95 bombers flying in the Alaskan ADIZ, south of the Aleutian Islands on Sept. 1.

Two Tu-95 bombers were also intercepted off the coast of Alaska by two NORAD F-22s in May after they came within 55 miles of Alaska’s west coast.





