American fighter jets intercept
Russian bombers near Alaska
Russian bombers near Alaska
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Russian Tu-95 bomber / Russian Ministry of Defense
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Susan Katz Keating
June 17, 2020
June 17, 2020
American fighter jets again intercepted two flights of Russian military aircraft near Alaska last night, U.S. and Russian military officials said.
“For the eighth time this year, Russian military aircraft have penetrated our Canadian or Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zones and each and every time NORAD forces were ready to meet this challenge,” said General Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy, who leads NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
The Russian planes were Tu-95 "Bear" long range bombers.
“The Russian military aircraft came within 32 nautical miles of Alaskan shores; however, remained in international airspace and at no time did they enter United States sovereign airspace," the agency said.
NORAD, which monitors and protects U.S. and Canadian airspace, dispatched F-22 Raptors, along with KC-135 Stratotanker refueling craft and an E-3 Airborne Warning and Control system plane, the agency said.
“The first formation of Russian aircraft consisted of two Tu-95 bombers, accompanied by two Su-35 fighter jets and was supported by an A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft,” NORAD said. “The second formation consisted of two Tu-95 bombers supported by an A-50.”
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that its Bears were “escorted” by the American Raptors while conducting a scheduled flight over international waters.
"At certain stages of the route, Russian aircraft were escorted by F-22 fighters of the USAF," the ministry wrote in a statement.
“All flights of the Russian Aerospace Forces aircraft are carried out in strict compliance with the International laws on the use of airspace,” the ministry wrote.
The ministry posted video of the encounter on Twitter.
The Russian MoD did not respond to an emailed request from Just the News, nor respond to a Tweet asking for details, and whether its aircraft identified themselves as required by international law.
“For the eighth time this year, Russian military aircraft have penetrated our Canadian or Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zones and each and every time NORAD forces were ready to meet this challenge,” said General Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy, who leads NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
The Russian planes were Tu-95 "Bear" long range bombers.
“The Russian military aircraft came within 32 nautical miles of Alaskan shores; however, remained in international airspace and at no time did they enter United States sovereign airspace," the agency said.
NORAD, which monitors and protects U.S. and Canadian airspace, dispatched F-22 Raptors, along with KC-135 Stratotanker refueling craft and an E-3 Airborne Warning and Control system plane, the agency said.
“The first formation of Russian aircraft consisted of two Tu-95 bombers, accompanied by two Su-35 fighter jets and was supported by an A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft,” NORAD said. “The second formation consisted of two Tu-95 bombers supported by an A-50.”
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that its Bears were “escorted” by the American Raptors while conducting a scheduled flight over international waters.
"At certain stages of the route, Russian aircraft were escorted by F-22 fighters of the USAF," the ministry wrote in a statement.
“All flights of the Russian Aerospace Forces aircraft are carried out in strict compliance with the International laws on the use of airspace,” the ministry wrote.
The ministry posted video of the encounter on Twitter.
The Russian MoD did not respond to an emailed request from Just the News, nor respond to a Tweet asking for details, and whether its aircraft identified themselves as required by international law.
