US fighter jets intercept six Russian planes near Alaska

New Delhi: US fighter jets intercepted six Russian aircraft operating in international airspace near Alaska, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said on Sunday.

However, NORAD said that the interception is a “routine” exercise and happens roughly six or seven times a year in the so-called Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone.

“The Russian planes included TU-95 bombers, IL-78 tankers and SU-35 fighter jets,” said a Reuters report citing a statement from NORAD.

“This Russian activity in the North American ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat,” the statement said, adding that NORAD tracks and positively identifies all military aircraft that enter the ADIZ, routinely monitors aircraft movements and as necessary escorts them from the ADIZ.

According to the statemen, the US aircraft involved in the incident included F-16 and F-22 fighter jets, KC-135 stratotankers and E-3 AWACS.

With inputs from agencies

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