NORAD has detected Russian aircraft near Alaskan airspace for the fourth time in five days. This latest incident follows previous detections on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
The first detection occurred on September 11, when NORAD tracked two Russian military aircraft in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). NORAD described the activity as routine and not a threat.
However, US Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) responded on Thursday, calling for increased military presence in the region due to foreign activity near the Alaska ADIZ.
On Friday, NORAD announced the detection of two more Russian TU-142 military aircraft in the ADIZ. NORAD described the incident as routine, using language similar to before.
Over the weekend, NORAD issued two more releases, detailing the detection of two Russian IL-38 patrol aircraft on Saturday and Sunday.
When asked for comment, NORAD officials said they employ various tactics to identify foreign aircraft entering US and Canadian air defense identification zones. However, they did not elaborate on their methods for operational security reasons.
NORAD has detected Russian aircraft near Alaskan airspace four times in five days, prompting calls for increased military presence in the region.
The Alaska ADIZ is a defined stretch of international airspace that requires the ready identification of all aircraft for national security purposes. NORAD’s detections highlight the importance of monitoring foreign activity in the region.
This news story was originally published by Alaska News Source.
