Summary
Over the past year, Russian military planes have often flown near the Alaskan and Canadian airspace, prompting North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) to respond by sending fighter jets. This activity is happening during heightened tensions between Russia and NATO countries due to the conflict in Ukraine.
Key Facts
- Russian military aircraft frequently enter the Alaskan and Canadian Air Defense Identification Zones (ADIZ).
- NORAD has scrambled U.S. and Canadian fighter jets, including F-35s, F-22s, and CF-18s, in response to these flights.
- NORAD also used other support aircraft like KC-135 tankers and E-3 AWACS for early warning and control.
- This response to Russian aircraft has occurred at least twice this year, following a similar incident in February.
- The latest interception involved Russian Tu-142 maritime reconnaissance planes.
- Historically, NORAD intercepts Russian military planes six to seven times annually.
- NORAD, a joint U.S.-Canada defense organization, uses radars and fighter jets to protect North American airspace.
- Russian flights continue as tensions rise between Russia and NATO, partly due to the Ukraine conflict.
