NORAD tracks Russian military aircraft near Alaska

NORAD has monitored a Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone, confirming it remained in international airspace and posed no threat.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tracked a Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Monday.

In a statement, NORAD confirmed that the Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter the sovereign airspace of the United States or Canada. It added that such activity in the ADIZ occurs regularly and is not considered a threat.

“NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defence of North America,” the statement said.

Russia’s defence ministry separately reported that two of its Tu-95MS strategic missile carriers had flown over the Bering Sea, accompanied by Su-30 fighter jets. It added that similar "routine" flights had also taken place north of Norway and over international waters near Russia’s far east.

An Air Defense Identification Zone marks the area beyond sovereign airspace where identification of all aircraft is required in the interest of national security.

NORAD also highlighted its layered defence network, consisting of satellites, ground-based and airborne radar systems, and fighter aircraft, used to detect, track, and respond to airspace activity.