US Air Force fighter jet intercepts two Russian bombers off the coast of Alaska for the SECOND time in two weeks
- Two Russian Tu-95 ‘bear’ bombers were intercepted by the US Air Force
- Military officials said the planes were spotted just before 10pm Tuesday night
- The planes were intercepted near Alaska and along with two Russian fighter jets
The US Air Force said on Wednesday that two of their fighter jets intercepted two Russian bombers near Alaska.
According to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the Russian Tu-95 ‘bear’ bombers were spotted shortly before 10pm Tuesday night.
The bombers were intercepted west of mainland Alaska and were accompanied by two Russian Su-35 ‘flanker’ fighter jets.
An Air Force F-22 fighter jet intercepts one of the Russian Tu-95 bombers (top right) near Alaska on Tuesday
Officials said the ‘at no time did the aircraft enter the United States or Canadian sovereign airspace’.
‘The homeland is no longer a sanctuary and the ability to deter and defeat threats to our citizens, vital infrastructure and national institutions starts with successfully detecting, tracking and positively identifying aircraft of interest approaching US and Canadian airspace,’ NORAD Commander General Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy said.
Tuesday’s incident is the second one to occur withing the month of September.
According to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the Russian Tu-95 ‘bear’ bombers were spotted shortly before 10pm Tuesday night. The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation released video of two Tu-95 ‘Bear’ bombers taking off from an airbase
Tuesday’s incident is the second one to occur withing the month of September. Pictured is a Russian fighter jet
The first interception took place on September 1 when another pair of Russian bombers flew near Alaska.
Those planes were also intercepted by F-22 fighters after they crossed into the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone south of the Aleutian Islands.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation released video of two Tu-95 ‘Bear’ bombers and a pair of fighter jets taking off from an airbase in eastern Russia.
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