Just as observed in other regions of Europe, the Russian Aerospace Forces are demonstrating a high level of operational activity in Alaska’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). Through North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the United States has once again raised alerts regarding the deployment of Russian aircraft in the region. Videos released by the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that these were Tupolev Tu-95MS bombers escorted by Su-35S and Su-30SM fighters.
On September 23, NORAD reported that it “detected and tracked four Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on September 23, 2024.” It added, “The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter the sovereign airspace of the United States or Canada. This Russian activity in the ADIZ of Alaska occurs regularly and is not considered a threat.”
While no further details were provided, a recently released video by the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that the four detected aircraft included two Tupolev Tu-95MS bombers, along with Su-35S and Su-30SM fighters from the Aerospace Forces, which conducted a patrol flight over neutral waters of the Bering Sea lasting eleven hours.
This is not the first time a similar incident has occurred in the ADIZ of Alaska. Recently, between September 13 and 14, patrol flights by Russian Tu-142MK and Il-38 aircraft were detected, which were intercepted by U.S. Air Force F-16s.
Looking back further, a significant event occurred when a combined patrol of Russian and Chinese bombers was intercepted in the ADIZ of Alaska by U.S. and Canadian F-16, F-35, and F/A-18 aircraft. This represented a renewed warning regarding the growing cooperation that the Armed Forces of China and Russia are seeking to achieve in the Arctic region.
Lastly, although not explicitly mentioned, it should not be ruled out that this new deployment of Russian aerospace assets in the region may have been met with the deployment of U.S. Air Force fighters, as happened in the incidents involving the Tu-142MK and Il-38, which became known through an official photo release by NORAD.
Cover photographs used for illustration purposes.
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