US jets intercept Russian bombers
Four Russian bombers flew in international airspace near Alaska according to the U.S. military; Lucas Tomlinson reports from the Pentagon.
Russian “Bear” bombers flew near Alaska under fighter escort for the second time in two days.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said that it had to scramble two pair of U.S. F-22 fighter jets to intercept the Russian formation on Tuesday.
“The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and at no time entered U.S. or Canadian sovereign airspace,” NORAD said in a statement posted on social media.
It’s not immediately clear how close the Russian bombers came to the United States.
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The incident occurred just a day after four nuclear-capable Russian bombers and two Russian fighter jets were intercepted off the west coast of Alaska by U.S. aircraft.
NORAD said Monday that its early warning system identified the four Tupolev Tu-95 bombers and two Su-35 fighters entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone, but noted that the Russian aircraft never entered American or Canadian airspace.
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The statement said two of the Russian bombers initially were intercepted by one pair of F-22 fighter jets, while another pair of F-22s intercepted the other two bombers and the Su-35s later on. Further details of the encounter were not provided.
Russia's Ministry of Defense said on Twitter Tuesday that the U.S. planes accompanied the Russian aircraft along part of their route.
Russia resumed long-range bomber patrols in 2007 and has averaged up to 7 flights a year, according to NORAD.
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The U.S. Air Force regularly flies bombers and reconnaissance aircraft near Russia throughout the year. In March, four B-52 bombers flew over the Baltic Sea in Europe.
Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and Samuel Chamberlain contributed to this report.
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