- NORAD detected and monitored four Russian military aircraft in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), but they remained in international airspace and posed no threat to American or Canadian territory.
- The ADIZ is a designated zone where aircraft are required to identify themselves and NORAD uses a combination of satellites, radars, and fighter aircraft to monitor the region.
- The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the presence of strategic bombers engaged in a long-range training flight in the Arctic, complying with international airspace regulations and emphasizing regular flights over neutral waters by long-range aviation pilots.
Additional Coverage:
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has announced that it detected and monitored four Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Tuesday. NORAD clarified that the Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not breach any American or Canadian territory. This kind of Russian activity in the Alaska ADIZ is said to be a regular occurrence and is not seen as a threat, according to a statement.
The ADIZ is a zone extending 150 miles from the U.S. coastline where aircraft are required to identify themselves as per U.S. regulations. NORAD relies on a combination of satellites, ground-based and airborne radars, and fighter aircraft to track and monitor aircraft in the region. They have stated that they are ready to employ various response options in order to defend North America.
In a press release, Russia’s defense ministry described a long-range training flight by bombers to the Arctic, possibly involving some of the Russian aircraft detected in the incident. The release mentioned that two Tu-160 strategic missile carriers completed a flight over the neutral waters of the Arctic Ocean and the Laptev Sea, lasting over 10 hours. The commander of long-range aviation, Lieutenant General Sergei Kobylash, emphasized that the flight adhered to international airspace regulations and highlighted that long-range aviation pilots regularly fly over various neutral waters.
The Russian Ministry of Defense further clarified that strategic bombers Tu-160, Tu-95MS, and long-range bombers Tu-22M3 are part of the long-range aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces. These aircraft serve as the air component of Russia’s nuclear triad and are capable of carrying out strikes with both conventional and nuclear missiles and bombs, including cruise missiles.