The North American Aerospace Defense Command or NORAD revealed on Wednesday that F-22s intercepted two flights of Russian nuclear-capable bombers off of Alaska’s coast on Wednesday.

Both of the Russian formations were intercepted by F-22 Raptors with KC-135 Stratotanker and E-3 Airborne Warning and Control Support. The first formation of Russian military aircraft,  consisting of two TU-95 bombers, two SU-35 fighter jets and an A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft, was intercepted and escorted as they approached 20 miles off of Alaska’s coast.

The second formation of two TU-95 bombers and an A-50 was also intercepted Wednesday as they came within 32 miles of the state’s shoreline.

NORAD stated that the Russian aircraft stayed within international airspace and at no time entered U.S. airspace.

NORAD also posted imagery on Twitter Wednesday:

NORAD intercepts Russian bombers in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone on June 10th, 2020. pic.twitter.com/XABO23aGpA

— North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) June 10, 2020

General Terrence O’Shaughnessy, NORAD commander, said in a statement, “Flying air patrols protects the approaches to our nations and sends a clear message we continue executing our homeland defense missions with the same capability and capacity we always bring to the fight.”

This incursion took place less than two weeks after Russian jets intercepted and escorted two U.S. B-1B bombers over the Black Sea on May 29th.

  Alaska, bombers, coast, ffighters, interception, nation, norad, raptors, russian, tu-95