The North American Aerospace Defense Command intercepted five Russian military aircraft flying in international airspace near Alaska on Thursday, according to a statement released Friday. The Russian planes did not enter U.S. or Canadian sovereign airspace, and military officials said the encounter posed no threat.

The interception, which involved strategic reconnaissance and fighter aircraft, illustrates a broader pattern of Russian military activity in regions bordering North America. U.S. military officials characterize such encounters as routine and part of established protocols for monitoring international airspace.

NORAD detected and tracked two Tu-95 bombers, two Su-35 fighters, and one A-50 airborne early warning aircraft operating near the Bering Strait on Thursday, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command. In response, NORAD launched two F-16 fighters, two F-35 fighters, one E-3 early warning aircraft, and four KC-135 refueling tankers to intercept, identify, and escort the Russian planes until they left the area.

Russian Aircraft and NORAD Response

The interception occurred near the Bering Strait, a narrow body of water separating the Pacific and Arctic oceans approximately 50 miles wide. The aircraft operated in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone, which begins where U.S. sovereign airspace ends.

“The Russian military aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace,” NORAD said in its statement.

International Airspace and Identification Protocols

While the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone is international airspace, all aircraft are required to identify themselves when entering it in accordance with national security protocols, NORAD explained. The command uses satellites, ground-based radars, and airborne radars to detect and track aircraft in the region. NORAD is headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado, with Alaska operations based at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage.

Routine Military Activity

The military characterized the encounter as part of routine operations in the region. “This kind of activity occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat,” NORAD said.