It is a development that is “worrying”: Russian and Chinese fighter jets have appeared off Alaska and were intercepted.
The joint US-Canadian air defense command discovered and intercepted two Russian and two Chinese fighter jets each off Alaska. However, the jets did not enter US airspace on Wednesday, the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) said.
The foreign aircraft were in the so-called “Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone,” which borders national airspace. In the interest of national security, all aircraft in this area must be easily identified. According to Norad, they were not perceived as a threat.
According to the broadcaster CCN, US F-16 and F-35 fighter jets and Canadian CF-18 fighter jets intercepted two Russian TU-95 Bear and two Chinese H-6 bombers. Additional support aircraft are also said to have been involved in the operation.
Russian flights in the zone are nothing new; in May, Norad discovered four Russian aircraft and stated at the time that this “occurs regularly.” However, Chinese aircraft were discovered in the area for the first time. This fits in with the country’s efforts to show a greater presence in the Arctic.
General Gregory Guillot, commander of the US Northern Command, said at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee that he expected to see more Chinese aircraft there “possibly this year.” “That worries me greatly,” he added. In addition, it was the first time that the two countries had been intercepted during a joint operation.
