American aircraft were sent to intercept Russian fighter jets operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone.
In a statement on Thursday, February 20, 2026, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said it launched aircraft to “intercept and positively identify Russian aircraft.”
Two US Air Force F-16s, two F-35s, one E-3 and four KC-135s escorted the Russian military aircraft, including Tu-95 bombers, an A-50 airborne early warning aircraft and two Su-35 fighter jets, until they left Alaska’s ADIZ.
NORAD stated that Russian aircraft regularly operate in the region and are not seen as a threat, adding: “They remained in international airspace and did not enter US or Canadian sovereign airspace.”
The airspace above Alaska’s ADIZ is considered a buffer zone between two countries and aircraft flying in the area must go through strict identification procedures.
The United States uses a layered defense mechanism in the region to identify, track and respond to hostile aircraft. For the defense of North America, a network of satellites, ground and air radars, and combat aircraft are deployed.
For context, the North American Aerospace Defense Command is a binational mutual defense organization in Canada and the United States.
The recent incident comes after Russia urged the United States and Iran to exercise caution amid rising tensions between the two countries in the Middle East.
