Saturday’s interception follows similar encounters earlier this month in which US F-22s intercepted Russian nuclear-capable bombers near Alaska on three separate occasions. The last one before was on Wednesday when US F-22 fighter jets intercepted two Russian IL-38 maritime patrol planes that entered the Alaska Area on Wednesday night.
NORAD also said that the Russian plane reached 65 nautical miles south of Alaska’s Aleutian island chain and prowled ADIZ for nearly eight hours. He added that the Russians remained in international airspace and at no time entered the sovereign airspace of the United States or Canada.
“This year alone, NORAD forces have identified and intercepted Russian military aircraft, including bombers, fighters, and maritime patrol aircraft, on ten separate occasions when they have flown to ADIZ,” said NORAD commander General Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy. .
“Despite COVID-19, we remain fully prepared and able to carry out our national defense mission without fail,” he said.
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