The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) revealed that it “detected and tracked” two Russian military aircraft off the coast of Alaska on Sunday. Sunday’s incident marks the fourth time since the 23rd anniversary of 9/11 that Russian military aircraft has been detected near Alaska.
In a Sunday press release, NORAD said, “The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected and tracked two Russian IL-38 military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Sept. 15, 2024.”
According to NORAD, the Russian military aircraft “remained in international airspace” during Sunday’s incident and “did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace.” NORAD noted that Russia’s activity in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone “occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat.”
Sunday’s press release explained that an air defense identification zone is a “defined stretch of international airspace that requires the ready identification of all aircraft in the interest of national security.”
READ MORE: Feds raid right-wing media company amid Russian interference allegations: Report
NORAD noted that it uses a “layered defense network of satellites, ground-based and airborne radars and fighter aircraft to detect and track aircraft and inform appropriate actions” and is prepared to utilize “a number of response options” to defend North America.
Fox News reported that NORAD officials confirmed that the other three incidents involving Russian military aircraft over the past week, which took place on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, were not considered a threat since the aircraft remained in international airspace in Alaska’s ADIZ.
Another press release by NORAD revealed that U.S. and Canadian officials “detected and tracked” two Russian military aircraft on Wednesday, prior to NORAD detecting two TU-142s on Friday and Russian IL-38 planes on Saturday.
According to Fox News, NORAD previously intercepted two Russian bombers and two Chinese bombers off the coast of Alaska earlier this summer, marking the first time Russian and Chinese military aircraft had been intercepted while conducting a joint operation together.
