Overview

• NORAD said two Tu-95 bombers and two Su-35 fighters were detected operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone.
• U.S. forces launched nine aircraft for the intercept, including an E-3 Sentry, four F-16s, and four KC-135 tankers.
• The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter sovereign airspace.
• NORAD noted this was the third such encounter in roughly a month and the ninth reported this year near Alaska.
• The encounter occurred during a period of heightened concern over European airspace incidents, as NATO issued warnings and President Donald Trump urged allies to be prepared to shoot down intruding Russian aircraft.