Russian military aircraft spotted along Alaska's coastline for the third time within a week, according to NORAD.
Every time, the plane stayed within Alaska's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) in international airspace, which is managed by NORAD, and was deemed harmless.
According to NORAD, ADIZ starts where national airspace ends and it's an extended portion of international airspace that calls for swift identification of all aircraft to safeguard national security.
First, back on Wednesday, a duo of Russian military aircraft was spotted by NORAD, a joint force comprising the US and Canada. On Friday, two TU-142 Russian surveillance and anti-submarine aircraft were identified by NORAD. Then, on the following day, two other Russian IL-38 aircraft, yet another kind of reconnaissance and anti-submarine military aircraft, were intercepted by the US and Canada.
NORAD verified that these aircraft this week didn't trespass into US or Canadian territorial airspace. Regular Russian flights into ADIZ are common, with the latest interceptions happening in July and May.
Not too long ago, during the summer, NORAD also intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers flying nearby Alaska. Officials stated it was the first time both countries were intercepted simultaneously during operations.
When inquired about this interception, and the possibility that it was a test from Russia and China in response to President Joe Biden's decision to abandon the 2024 presidential race, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin remarked that these countries are consistently testing us.
The incident with the Russian and Chinese aircraft prompted discussions about politics and international relations. Regular Russian flights within ADIZ are often viewed as a political statement and a demonstration of power in the global arena.
