Six Russian Aircraft Intercepted Off Western Aleutians

Aircraft penetrated the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone but remained in international airspace.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 06:42 PM ET

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Beriev A-50 AWACS aircraft - among the models intercepted by NORAD fighters near the Aleutian Islands. Credit: Wikimedia

Key Takeaways:

NORAD intercepted six Russian military aircraft, including bombers and fighters, in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone on July 24, 2024.
The Russian aircraft were monitored near the Western Aleutian Islands, remaining in international airspace despite entering the ADIZ.
NORAD scrambled U.S. and Canadian jets but did not consider the Russian aircraft a threat as they stayed outside sovereign territory.

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NORAD jets intercept Russian military aircraft in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone on July 24, 2024.

NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) said it monitored and intercepted six Russian military aircraft near the Western Aleutian Islands earlier this week. According to a Canadian Armed Forces spokesperson, all six aircraft remained in international airspace.

The military aircraft included two Tupolev Tu-95 “Bear” bombers, two Sukhoi Su-35 fighters, one Tupolev Tu-142 F/J and a single Beriev A-50 “Mainstay” airborne early warning and control (AWAC) aircraft.

NORAD scrambled U.S. and Canadian aircraft to intercept the Russians combat aircraft, which were not considered a threat as long as they remained in international airspace, though they did breach the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), roughly 150 miles from sovereign U.S. territory.