U.S. Jets Scramble as Russian Fighter Jets, Bombers and Spy Plane Operate off Alaska

U. S. fighter aircraft scrambled Thursday after russian fighter jets and bombers, along with a Russian A-50 spy plane, were detected operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone, NORAD said. The action briefly put U. S. jets on intercept and escort missions over international airspace off Alaska.

Russian Fighter Jets tracked in the Alaskan ADIZ

NORAD said two Tu-95 bombers, two Su-35 fighter planes and one A-50 spy plane were detected and tracked in the Alaskan ADIZ. The activity was observed on Feb. 19, 2026, and NORAD described such flights as a regular occurrence that was not considered a threat.

U. S. jets launched to intercept and escort

NORAD launched two F-16s, two F-35s and four KC-135 tankers to intercept and escort the Russian aircraft until they departed the Alaskan ADIZ. The Russian aircraft did not enter U. S. or Canadian sovereign airspace, and U. S. pilots escorted them out of the zone.

How this fits with recent activity off Alaska

Similar intercepts have occurred in recent years: in September 2025 U. S. jets were scrambled to intercept Tu-95s and Su-35s in the Alaskan ADIZ, and last August NORAD intercepted a Russian IL-20 reconnaissance aircraft multiple times in one week. NORAD also released a 15-second video in September 2024 showing a Russian fighter flying close to a NORAD aircraft in the ADIZ, and in July 2024 U. S. forces intercepted both Russian and Chinese bombers operating off Alaska.

NORAD said the aircraft were escorted until they departed the Alaskan ADIZ. Officials characterized the episode as routine monitoring of international airspace rather than a threat.