The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) reports that F-16 and F-22 fighter jets accompanied by KC-135 stratotankers and E-3 AWACS intercepted six Russian aircraft comprised of TU-95 bombers, IL-78 tankers and SU-35 fighter jets as they entered the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone on Saturday.

The aircraft never entered U.S. or Canadian sovereign airspace, but the incursion occurred “as several planned large-scale U.S. military training exercises are ongoing within Alaska,” NORAD stated in their press release.

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— North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) May 13, 2023

According to NORAD Russian aircraft are intercepted six or seven times a year on average in the area and this most recent occurrence was not seen as a threat.

  adiz, Alaska, e-3, f-16, ff-22, interception, russian aircraft, stratotankers, su-35, tu-05