US, Canadian jets intercept Russian reconnaissance aircraft

The Russian aircraft entered and remained in the air defense identification zone, a security perimeter in international airspace, for about four hours

In this Monday, March 9, 2020 photo released by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), a Russian Tu-142 maritime reconnaissance aircraft, top right, is intercepted near the Alaska coastline. U.S. and Canadian aircraft intercepted and escorted two Russian jets that flew over the Beaufort Sea near the Alaska coastline, military officials said Tuesday.

Two Russian military reconnaissance aircraft were intercepted and escorted for hours near Alaska by U.S. and Canadian air force jets, the North American Aerospace Defense Command said.

The two Tu-142 maritime reconnaissance aircraft on Monday entered the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone, sparking the deployment of several NORAD aircraft including fighter jets, the command said.

The Russian aircraft entered and remained in the air defense identification zone, a security perimeter in international airspace, for about four hours.

They came as close as 50 nautical miles to the Alaskan coast, a NORAD statement said Tuesday.

NORAD deployed F-22 and CF-18 fighters supported by a KC-135 Stratotanker and an E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft to track the Russians.

“The Russian aircraft did not enter United States or Canadian sovereign airspace,” they said.

NORAD is a joint U.S.-Canadian command focused on the defense of the North American airspace.