Positively Identified And Tracked Two Tu-142 Russian Maritime Patrol Aircraft

At 4:50 a.m. (AKST), the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Region, in support of NORAD, positively identified and tracked two Tu-142 Russian maritime patrol aircraft entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone.

The Russian aircraft, which are currently operating in international airspace, have not entered United States or Canadian sovereign airspace. The Tupolev Tu-142 is a Soviet/Russian maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft derived from the Tu-95 turboprop strategic bomber.

The Tu-142 grew out of the need for a viable Soviet ASW platform. It succeeded the failed Tu-95PLO project, Tupolev's first attempt at modifying the Tu-95 for maritime use. The Tu-142 differed from the Tu-95 in having a stretched fuselage to accommodate specialized equipment for its ASW and surveillance roles, a reinforced undercarriage to support rough-field capability, improved avionics and weapons, and enhancements to general performance.

As always, NORAD remains vigilant and ready to protect the sovereign airspace of Canada and the United States to deter, deny and defeat potential threats to our air and maritime approaches.

Despite COVID-19, NORAD has taken deliberate measures and remains fully capable of conducting our aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning missions.

FMI: www.norad.mil