Two USAF F-22s, along with two Royal Canadian Air Force F-18s, intercepted two Russian Tu-95 Bear H bombers on Aug. 8, 2019, near Alaska. The fighters were supported by an E-3 Sentry, KC-135, and C-130. NORAD photos via Twitter.
North American Aerospace Defense Command launched two F-22s and two Canadian CF-18s, along with an E-3 Sentry, a KC-135 tanker, and a C-130 tanker to intercept two Russian Tu-95 Bear H bombers near Alaska on Aug. 8.
The two bombers remained in international airspace in the Beaufort Sea north of Alaska, NORAD said in an Aug. 8 release.
“NORAD’s top priority is defending Canada and the United States. NORAD operators identified and intercepted the Russian aircraft flying near our nations,” NORAD and US Northern Command boss Gen. Terrence O’Shaughnessy said in the release.
US and Canadian aircraft routinely intercept Russian planes in the region, most recently conducting two separate missions in two days in May.
NORAD previously said it has intercepted about six to seven Russian sorties per year since 2007.