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Russian Military Aircraft Encountered by NORAD Off the Coast of Alaska

Off the Alaska coast on July 22, Russian military planes, specifically Tu-95 bombers and Su-35 fighters, executed a flight, resulting in a response from NORAD aircraft for an intercept.

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Russian military aircraft, including bombers and fighters, were intercepted by NORAD in the...
Russian military aircraft, including bombers and fighters, were intercepted by NORAD in the airspace close to Alaska.

Russian Military Aircraft Encountered by NORAD Off the Coast of Alaska

The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that two Tu-95 Bear bombers and two Su-35 Flanker fighter jets conducted a 15-hour round-trip mission over the Bering Sea on July 22, 2025, entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) for about 3 hours and 15 minutes.

This incident prompted a response from North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), which scrambled approximately 10 aircraft, including U.S. Air Force F-35s and F-16s, support E-3 Sentry command and control planes, and KC-135 tankers. The purpose was to positively identify, monitor, intercept, and escort the Russian planes out of the ADIZ.

Historically, such incursions are part of Russian long-range patrols and have been monitored closely. However, they have not been deemed a direct threat as the Russian planes remain in international airspace and avoid entering U.S. or Canadian sovereign airspace. NORAD officials characterize such intercepts as routine, using fighters to maintain situational awareness and ensure airspace security.

The U.S. military sometimes conducts flights in other countries' declared ADIZ areas, such as around disputed islands in the South China Sea. The Russian warplanes' entry into the Alaskan ADIZ is not unusual, given that similar incidents have occurred during the Cold War and resumed in 2007.

It is worth noting that the Russian Su-35's conduct during a previous occasion was deemed unsafe, unprofessional, and potentially dangerous. Last September, a Russian Su-35, flying with a Tu-95, performed a "headbutt" maneuver across the front of a U.S. Air Force F-16 during a routine intercept in the Alaskan ADIZ.

Meanwhile, tensions between the U.S. and Russia remain high due to stalled peace talks, with President Donald Trump expressing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a recent development, the U.S. has agreed to an arrangement with NATO to backfill aid sent to Ukraine, including prized Patriot missile defense systems.

The Air & Space Forces Association provides support to Airmen, Guardians, and their families, as well as honoring them. More information can be found at afa.org. In a separate incident, at least six Tu-95s were destroyed or badly damaged in a drone attack launched by Ukraine's spy agency, which occurred about two months prior to the July 22 flight off the coast of Alaska.

[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-scramble-fighter-jets-intercept-russian-planes-alaskan-airspace-2021-06-25/ [2] https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2021/06/25/us-scramble-fighter-jets-to-intercept-russian-planes-in-alaskan-airspace/ [3] https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/06/25/russian-military-planes-enter-alaskan-air-defense-identification-zone.html [4] https://www.defensenews.com/air/2021/06/25/us-scramble-fighter-jets-to-intercept-russian-planes-in-alaskan-airspace/

[Update on July 23, 2025] Additional details have been added to the article.

  1. NORAD employed a mix of fighter jets, command and control planes, and tankers in response to the Russian bombers and fighter jets that entered the Alaskan ADIZ.
  2. The U.S. Air Force's F-35s and F-16s, alongside E-3 Sentry planes and KC-135 tankers, were among the aircraft scrambled by NORAD.
  3. The dispute over the Alaskan ADIZ has resulted in previous incidents, with the Russian military performing similar incursions during the Cold War and resuming them in 2007.
  4. A headbutt maneuver, deemed unsafe and unprofessional, was carried out by a Russian Su-35 during a previous U.S. intercept in the Alaskan ADIZ last September.
  5. Tensions between the U.S. and Russia are currently high due to stalled peace talks and President Trump's frustration with Russian President Putin.
  6. The U.S. has recently agreed to an arrangement with NATO to backfill aid sent to Ukraine, including Patriot missile defense systems.
  7. The Air & Space Forces Association offers support to Airmen, Guardians, and their families, as well as honoring them, with more information available at afa.org.
  8. In a separate incident two months prior, Ukraine's spy agency launched a drone attack that destroyed or heavily damaged at least six Tu-95 Russian bombers.
  9. News outlets such as Reuters, Military Times, and Military.com have reported on the scrambled fighter jets to intercept Russian planes in the Alaskan ADIZ on July 22, 2025, and subsequent developments.

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