US fighter jets scrambled to intercept Russian fighter jets that appeared near Alaska, raising tensions in a sensitive geostrategic area between the two major military powers.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) announced that the incident occurred when two Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers, equipped for long-range flights and capable of carrying nuclear weapons, along with two advanced Su-35 fighter jets, entered the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).
This area includes international airspace, but any aircraft entering there is expected to be identified and report the purpose of the flight, reports reuters.
In response, the US mobilized four F-16 fighter jets to conduct an immediate intervention, supported by an E-3 Sentry reconnaissance aircraft, equipped with advanced radars for aerial surveillance.
To ensure long-term air endurance for American forces, four KC-135 tanker aircraft were also deployed, which refuel aircraft during flight.
According to NORAD, the Russian planes did not violate U.S. sovereign airspace and did not pose an immediate threat. However, such actions are considered provocative and are part of a broader pattern of Russian military activity near U.S. borders, particularly in the Arctic, a region of growing strategic importance due to its natural resources and new shipping routes being opened up by melting ice.
US officials stressed that NORAD is ready 24/7 to protect North American airspace and to deal with any threat that may arise, in a rapid and coordinated manner. /Telegraph/
