The United States once again scrambled fighter jets to intercept Russian military aircraft detected near Alaska, as confirmed by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) on Wednesday. This latest incident occurred within the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), where two Russian military planes were tracked and intercepted by U.S. fighter jets.
NORAD made clear in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that the Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and never entered U.S. or Can adian sovereign territory. The defense agency stressed that this activity was not viewed as a direct threat but affirmed its commitment to monitoring and responding to such incursions, stating, “NORAD will continue to monitor competitor activity near North America and meet presence with presence.”
These intercepts are not uncommon, particularly in the wake of heightened tensions since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. NORAD has reported multiple similar incidents near Alaska throughout the year. For example, in July 2023, Russian aircraft made at least four incursions near Alaskan airspace, underscoring the frequent nature of these encounters.
NORAD detected, tracked, and intercepted two Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Sept. 11, 2024. NORAD fighter jets from the United States conducted the intercept.
The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and…
— North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) September 12, 2024
While NORAD did not specify which types of Russian aircraft were involved in Wednesday’s incident, such interceptions often involve advanced fighter jets and reconnaissance planes. The ADIZ, though international airspace, is a zone where identification of all aircraft is required for national security purposes.
The Alaska ADIZ serves as a critical buffer zone where NORAD employs a comprehensive defense network consisting of satellites, radars, and fighter aircraft to detect and respond to foreign activity. NORAD’s layered defense strategy is designed to quickly track and evaluate potential threats, ensuring North America’s security.
This particular intercept also comes amid Russia and China’s joint military exercises, which are currently taking place in several key global regions, including the Pacific and Arctic Oceans.
Such maneuvers have raised concerns about growing military cooperation between the two nations, especially after a previous incident in July 2023, where Russian and Chinese bombers were detected flying near Alaska together for the first time.
Looking ahead, it’s expected that NORAD will continue to encounter Russian aircraft in the ADIZ, given the frequency of these flights. Both U.S. and NORAD officials have repeatedly emphasized that while such activity is routine, it is being closely watched to ensure it poses no imminent threat to North American airspace.
