American and Canadian defense officials dispatched fighter jets Thursday after spotting Russian military aircraft near Alaskan airspace, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
Defense officials identified five Russian aircraft operating within Alaska’s Air Defense Identification Zone, including two Tu-95 bombers, two Su-35 fighter jets, and one A-50 surveillance plane, NORAD announced in an official statement.
In response to the Russian presence, military commanders deployed eight American aircraft to monitor the situation: two F-16 fighters, two F-35 stealth jets, one E-3 surveillance aircraft, and four KC-135 refueling tankers, according to the joint U.S.-Canadian defense organization.
Officials emphasized that the Russian military planes never violated American or Canadian territorial airspace, remaining within international boundaries throughout the encounter. The U.S. aircraft accompanied the Russian planes until they exited Alaska’s defense identification zone, NORAD reported.
