US jets intercept Russian plane near Alaska for third time in a week

For the third time in seven days, American fighter aircraft intercepted a Russian reconnaissance plane operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) confirmed on Sunday.

According to a NORAD statement reported by ABC News, the Russian Il-20 surveillance aircraft was met by one E-3 Sentry airborne command and control plane, two F-16 fighters, and two KC-135 Stratotankers, which were deployed “to intercept and visually identify” the aircraft.

The Russian plane remained in international airspace throughout the encounter and did not enter U.S. or Canadian territory, NORAD clarified. “This Russian activity in the Alaskan ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat,” the command said.

An ADIZ is defined as a section of international airspace just beyond a nation’s sovereign airspace where aircraft are required to identify themselves in the interest of national security.

This latest incident follows two earlier intercepts involving Russian Il-20 aircraft in the same area, one on Aug. 20 and another on Aug. 21, NORAD noted.

The joint U.S.-Canadian command emphasized that its monitoring system is designed to track and respond swiftly to any potential incursion. “NORAD employs a layered defense network of satellites, ground-based and airborne radars and fighter aircraft to detect and track aircraft and inform appropriate actions,” it said.

“NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America,” the command added.

The intercepts underscore the continuing pattern of Russian military flights near Alaska, which U.S. officials stress are routine but still monitored closely for security reasons.