The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) announced on Tuesday that military fighter jets were deployed to track a Russian spy plane that was detected in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone.
In a Tuesday press release, NORAD officials confirmed that an IL-20 COOT, a Russian reconnaissance aircraft, was detected and tracked while operating inside the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone. The press release noted that NORAD scrambled two F-16s, an E-3, and a KC-135 tanker aircraft to “positively identify” the Russian reconnaissance aircraft near Alaska.
“The Russian military aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace,” NORAD stated. “This Russian activity in the Alaskan ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat.”
Tuesday’s incident marked the fourth time since last Wednesday that a Russian IL-20 COOT was detected and tracked inside the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone. NORAD confirmed that in addition to Tuesday’s encounter, a Russian IL-20 Coot was tracked in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone on August 20, August 21, and August 24.
READ MORE: Russian military aircraft tracked near Alaska
Officials also noted that NORAD’s fighter jets were deployed each time the Russian aircraft was detected to monitor and track the reconnaissance aircraft. On August 21, NORAD deployed two F-16s and a KC-135 tanker; on August 21, NORAD deployed two F-16s, an E-3, and a KC-135 tanker; and on August 24, NORAD deployed two F-16s, two KC-135 tankers, and an E-3.
In Tuesday’s press release, NORAD explained that an Air Defense Identification Zone “begins where sovereign airspace ends and is a defined stretch of international airspace that requires the ready identification of all aircraft in the interest of national security.”
“NORAD employs a layered defense network of satellites, ground-based and airborne radars and fighter aircraft to detect and track aircraft and inform appropriate actions,” the press release added. “NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America.”
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Author: Timothy Frudd
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