Aviation News – North American Aerospace Defense Command detected and tracked multiple Russian military aircraft operating inside the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) this week, underscoring renewed long-range patrol activity near North American airspace and prompting routine monitoring by U.S. and Canadian forces.
The joint defense command reported that two Tupolev Tu-95 bombers, two Sukhoi Su-35 fighters, and one Beriev A-50 airborne early-warning aircraft were identified and tracked in international airspace within the ADIZ off Alaska. The incident occurred on Thursday as part of what officials described as routine long-range Russian aviation operations. NORAD emphasized the aircraft did not enter sovereign U.S. or Canadian airspace.
The ADIZ is a buffer zone where aircraft are required to identify themselves for national security purposes. NORAD uses a layered network of ground-based radars, satellites, and fighter intercept aircraft to detect and shadow approaching flights. Such missions allow the command to assess intent and maintain readiness while avoiding escalation, a practice common during strategic bomber patrols near contested regions.