Two American F-22 fighters intercepted three groups of Russian Tupelev jets as they entered the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) late Thursday night.
The Russian planes were in the (ADIZ) for around 5 hours and came within 50 nautical miles of Alaskan shores, according to a NORAD press release.
They never entered U.S. or Canadian sovereign airspace.
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“Our northern approaches have had an increase in foreign military activity as our competitors continue to expand their military presence and probe our defenses,” said Gen. Glen VanHerck, commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
“This year, we’ve conducted more than a dozen intercepts, the most in recent years.”
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The U.S. has intercepted Russian crafts a number of times over the past few years, usually after they enter Alaskan ADIZ. In May 2019, a Russian craft penetrated the ADIZ for consecutive days, and in June, U.S. F-22 jets intercepted two sets of Russian bombers 8 miles off the coast of Alaska.
NORAD uses a network of satellites, radars and fighter aircrafts to monitor the aerospace of the U.S. and Canada, and determine a response.
NORAD is a binational command focused on defending the U.S. and Canada. The response to potential aerospace threats does not distinguish between the two nations, and draws on forces from both countries.