United States Air Force fighter jets intercepted a pair of Russian military aircraft on Wednesday in international space near Alaska, according to a North American Aerospace Defense Command news release.
The two Russian planes, identified as Tu-142 jets Russia uses for maritime reconnaissance/antisubmarine warfare, remained in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) and didn’t enter American air space.
According to NORAD, the ADIZ begins where U.S. sovereign airspace ends. While international aircraft travel through the area, they must identify themselves.
“This Russian activity in the Alaska ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat,” NORAD stated. NORAD declined to specify how many U.S fighter craft or the type deployed to intercept the Russian jets.
Most often, however, military jets are scrambled from either Eielson Air Force Base or Joint Base Elemandorf-Richardson.
Wednesday’s incident isn’t the first time Russian military jets have crossed into the ADIZ. However, in recent years, it’s grown more frequent.
In July, Russian and Chinese military aircraft flew through the ADIZ in what appeared to be the first-ever aerial joint exercise in the region. Two Tu-95 Bear Bombers and a pair of Chinese H-6 Xi’an bombers participated in what China’s Defense Ministry called a test of improved coordination between the two foreign air forces.
Sen. Dan Sullivan called the incident yet another example of escalated “cat-and-mouse games between Russia and American military air forces.
“As the world gets more dangerous, Alaska continues to be on the front lines of authoritarian aggression,” Sullivan posted on his social media accounts Thursday.
Sullivan broached the topic with Air Force Lt. Gen. Steven Nordhaus during a U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday.
“I’m very proud of all our active services members who continue to do this great power competition to make sure we are always ready and always there,” Nordhaus said.
Nordhaus said that KC-135 Stratotankers assigned to the Alaska Air National Guard 168th Wing stationed at Eielseon Air Force Base participated in the interception.
Sullivan also referenced a joint Russian-Chinese naval operation that occurred last year in international waters near Alaska as another example of growing concern.
In July, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin noted the increased operations are a growing concern.
“This is a relationship that we have been concerned about throughout — mostly because we’re concerned about China providing support to Russia’s illegal and unnecessary war in Ukraine,” Austin told reporters during a July 25 news conference.
Source link : http://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=66e66c8e183a4cf784972f36d2e357d4&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newsminer.com%2Fnews%2Falaska_news%2Fu-s-jets-intercept-russian-military-aircraft-near-alaska%2Farticle_e7b6236c-7214-11ef-89eb-9746f0bb4b4a.html&c=2285065365767794613&mkt=en-us
Author :
Publish date : 2024-09-14 12:00:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.