U.S. and Norway scramble fighter jets to escort Russian Tu-142 aircraft
Russian long-range anti-submarine aircraft Tu-142 performed flights over the Barents and Norwegian Seas, as well as over the neutral waters of the North Pacific Ocean, reported the Russian Defense Ministry, RIA Novosti reports.
The flight took place on June 27, three Tu-142s flew over the Barents and Norwegian Seas, and four over the Pacific Ocean. The ministry stressed that the flight took place in accordance with international rules of airspace use. The borders of other states have not been violated.
At some stages of the route over the neutral waters of the Norwegian Sea, Russian aircraft were escorted by Norwegian F-16 fighter jets and ,over the Pacific Ocean, they were escorted by U.S. Air Force F-22 fighter jets.
The Joint North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) in turn reported on Twitter that F-22 fighter jets together with Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft intercepted four Russian Tu-142s, which entered the air defense identification zone (air defense) near Alaska.
The command reported that the Russian aircraft passed 65 nautical miles (about 120 km) south of the Aleutian Islands and spent about eight hours in the air defense zone. NORAD noted that the Tu-142 did not violate U.S. and Canadian airspace.
On June 25, NORAD reported the interception of two Russian Il-38 patrol aircraft in the Alaska area. According to the command, they flew 80 kilometers from Unimak Island and did not violate international airspace.