Russian Fighter Jets Intercepted Off Alaska as NORAD Scrambles F-16s and F-35s
U. S. fighter jets were scrambled Thursday to intercept multiple Russian bombers, fighter planes and a spy plane near the Bering Strait, an operation that underscores recurring activity in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone. russian fighter jets were among the aircraft detected and escorted until they departed the ADIZ, and NORAD described the interaction as a routine, non-threatening occurrence.
Russian Fighter Jets: What happened near the Bering Strait
Multiple Russian military aircraft were detected in the Alaskan ADIZ off the western coast of Alaska. The group included two Tu-95 bombers, two Su-35 fighters and an A-50 surveillance plane. NORAD launched U. S. fighters and tankers to meet and escort the Russian formation until it left the identification zone. The Russian aircraft did not enter U. S. or Canadian sovereign airspace and the activity was characterized as regular and not considered a threat.
NORAD response and assets involved
NORAD dispatched a combination of fighter and refueling aircraft to monitor and escort the Russian formation through the ADIZ. The response included two F-16s, two F-35s and four KC-135 tankers. Photos released by the Department of Defense show intercept and refueling operations over western Alaska and near the Bering Strait, including an F-16 accompanying a Su-35 and refueling from a KC-135.
Context and pattern of ADIZ activity
The interception is part of a pattern of similar encounters in the Alaskan ADIZ. Previous scrambles have included Tu-95s and Su-35s in late 2025 and an IL-20 reconnaissance aircraft intercepted multiple times in a single week the prior August. In September 2024, a short video captured a close pass between a Russian fighter and a NORAD aircraft inside the ADIZ. In July 2024, Russian and Chinese bombers were intercepted after entering the zone; that event marked the first joint appearance of Russian and Chinese aircraft in the Alaskan ADIZ and the first encroachment by Chinese H-6 bombers off Alaska.
What the ADIZ means for air safety and monitoring
The Alaskan ADIZ is a defined stretch of international airspace that begins where U. S. and Canadian sovereign airspace ends and requires the ready identification of all aircraft for national security interests. Encounters in the ADIZ routinely prompt identification and escort actions to ensure aircraft are tracked and to confirm they do not enter sovereign airspace. NORAD characterized the recent activity as a regular occurrence and not a threat, while U. S. intercept aircraft remained on station long enough to escort the Russian formation out of the area.
Outlook and operational implications
NORAD’s response — deploying fighters and tankers to intercept and escort Russian aircraft — reflects standing procedures for ADIZ encounters. The presence of multiple Russian platforms, including bombers, fighters and a surveillance plane, continues a sequence of similar sorties near Alaska. Observers can expect continued identification and escort missions when foreign military aircraft operate in the Alaskan ADIZ, with NORAD maintaining readiness to detect, identify and monitor flights that approach from international airspace.
Details may evolve as further official updates are released; the facts in this account are limited to the publicly available descriptions of the interception and NORAD’s characterization of the activity.
