U.S. Jets Intercept Russian Bombers Near Alaska

AMERICAN FIGHTER JETS intercepted two Russian bombers on Tuesday near Alaska, the latest in a series of incidents in which U.S. military

planes have confronted their Russian counterparts.

The two American F-22 Raptor fighter jets came across two Russian Tu-95 bombers, which were accompanied by two Russian Su-35 Flanker

fighter jets, just west of mainland Alaska at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, according to a statement from North American Aerospace Defense Command.

The statement, issued Wednesday, said the Russian bombers were in the U.S. Air Defense Identification Zone, which extends to about 200

miles off Alaska's western coast. It said the "Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and at no time did the aircraft enter

United States or Canadian sovereign airspace." According to CNN, the incident marks the second time U.S. F-22 fighter jets have had to

intercept Russian bombers off Alaska's coast this month, with the first incident occurring on Sept. 1. Another intercept occurred off the

coast of Alaska in May, which was the first one in almost a year.

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Alaskan Man Lost at Sea Ends Up in Russia Moscow is notorious for using aircraft to probe the defenses of its rivals, with Britain's

minister of state for the armed forces saying earlier this year that the country's Royal Air

Force had scrambled planes to intercept Russian aircraft more than 80 times in the last decade.

"The homeland is no longer a sanctuary and the ability to deter and defeat threats to our citizens, vital infrastructure and national

institutions starts with successfully detecting, tracking and positively identifying aircraft of interest approaching U.S. and

Canadian airspace," Gen Terrence O'Shaughnessy, NORAD commander, said in the statement issued Wednesday. NORAD employs a layered defense

network of radars, satellites, as well as fighters to identify aircraft and determine the appropriate response."