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US F-16 jets intercepted two Russian Tu-95 bombers and two Su-35 fighters in Alaska’s ADIZ.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump (Image Credit: Reuters)
US fighter jets intercepted four Russian warplanes flying near Alaska, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said- the latest in a string of incidents this year in which Russian aircraft have entered Alaska’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ). NORAD said two Russian Tu-95 long-range bombers and two Su-35 fighter jets were detected in the ADIZ, which is international airspace bordering US and Canadian sovereign airspace.
In response, NORAD deployed four F-16 fighter jets, four KC-135 tankers and an E-3 early warning and control aircraft “to positively identify and intercept” the Russian planes.
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Ninth Incident Reported This Year
Officials stressed that Russian military activity in the ADIZ is common and does not pose a direct threat. The encounter was the ninth such incident reported this year and comes amid heightened concerns about Moscow’s actions near NATO territory.
In recent weeks, Danish officials reported large drones disrupting flights near Copenhagen Airport while Poland and Estonia said Russian aircraft had entered their airspace earlier this month.
The Alaska encounter occurred almost exactly one month after a similar episode when US jets intercepted Russian bombers and fighters in the same zone. In late August, NORAD also tracked a Russian reconnaissance plane over the region on multiple occasions.
Last year, NORAD released video showing a Russian jet flying “within just a few feet” of a US aircraft off Alaska’s coast.
What Is ADIZ?
The Alaskan ADIZ is a defined stretch of international airspace where aircraft must identify themselves for national security purposes. NORAD says none of the encounters to date has resulted in Russian planes entering US or Canadian sovereign airspace.
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
September 25, 2025, 18:59 IST
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