Russian Fighter Jets Escorted Out of Alaskan ADIZ After NORAD Intercept
U. S. fighter jets were scrambled Thursday to intercept multiple russian fighter jets, bombers and a spy plane spotted off the western coast of Alaska near the Bering Strait. NORAD launched fighter and tanker aircraft to escort the foreign planes until they left the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone; the movements were described as a routine occurrence and were not considered a threat.
Russian Fighter Jets Intercepted Near Bering Strait
NORAD detected five Russian aircraft in the Alaskan ADIZ: two Tu-95 bombers, two Su-35 fighter planes and an A-50 spy plane. U. S. interceptors were dispatched Thursday to meet the formation as it operated near the Bering Strait; the Russian aircraft did not enter U. S. or Canadian sovereign airspace. NORAD later posted images showing U. S. fighters escorting the planes out of the ADIZ.
NORAD response and aircraft launched
The defensive response included two F-16s, two F-35s and four KC-135 refueling tankers launched to escort the Russian formation until departure. U. S. aircraft met and accompanied the foreign planes through the ADIZ and remained on station until the group had cleared the zone.
Context and what comes next
The interception follows a pattern of similar encounters in recent years: U. S. fighters were scrambled in September 2025 to intercept Tu-95s and Su-35s in the same zone, and multiple interceptions occurred last summer and in 2024. The recurring presence of long-range bombers and reconnaissance aircraft near the Alaskan ADIZ has led to repeated escorts by NORAD assets.
If flights of this type continue near the ADIZ, U. S. defensive aircraft are likely to be launched again to identify and escort them out of the zone. The military has characterized this episode as routine and not a threat, and the operation concluded once the Russian planes had departed the ADIZ.
Key takeaways
- Five Russian aircraft — two Tu-95s, two Su-35s and an A-50 — were tracked in the Alaskan ADIZ and escorted out.
- U. S. forces launched F-16s, F-35s and KC-135 tankers to meet and accompany the formation.
- NORAD described the encounter as a regular occurrence and did not classify it as a threat.
