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US fighter jets intercepted four Russian military aircraft as they flew into the international airspace in western Alaska, officials said.
Two Russian Tu-95 "Bear" fighter jets and two Su-35 "Flanker" fighter jets entered the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone on Tuesday, NORAD said in a statement.
NORAD did not indicate how far Russian planes flew near US airspace, nor in which direction. He stated that the interception occurred at 22 hours. AND. Russian state media said that US planes have escorted their planes for about 40 minutes and that they have never arrived within 100 meters, according to Reuters.
This air defense zone, known as ADIZ, was declared unilaterally by the United States after the Second World War and is binding under the terms of the Act. no international treaty. It extends more than 200 miles farther from the most western island of Alaska and 1,700 miles from Anchorage.
This is not the first time that such an incident has occurred. This is the second similar interception this month after US fighter jets briefly escorted Russian bombers to western Alaska on September 1st.
In recent years, Russia has been accused of flying dangerously close to American aircraft and ships in the Black Sea in Eastern Europe and repeatedly violating the airspace of US NATO allies in the Baltic countries.
"Homeland defense is the first priority of NORAD," NORAD said after Tuesday's interception. "The identification and surveillance of aircraft entering a US or Canadian Air Defense Identification Zone demonstrates how NORAD performs its aerospace warning and aerospace control missions in the United States and Canada."
General Terrence J. O. Shaughnessy, Commander of NORAD, added, "The homeland is no longer a sanctuary and the ability to deter and defeat the threats to our citizens, our vital infrastructure and our national institutions. begins by detecting, tracking and positively identifying aircraft of interest close to US and Canadian airspace. "
The United States was the first to declare an ADIZ in the 1950s and some 20 other countries have followed since.
Under its rules, the United States requires any foreign aircraft to identify themselves and their flight plan when they enter the air defense zone.
The FAA warns foreign aircraft to be intercepted by fighter jets, during which they are encouraged to make radio contact and follow the instructions.
"Be warned that non-compliance can result in the use of force," says the FAA.
