NORAD-Tracked Activity Not Considered a Threat

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) recently announced that they had tracked four Russian military aircraft operating in the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) surrounding Alaska. The incident trails several other Russian military activities in the region this month.

According to a press release from NORAD, the four Russian aircraft were detected within the ADIZ. The command clarified that these aircraft did not breach American or Canadian airspace and stated that “this Russian activity in the Alaska ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat."

The ADIZ, which extends where sovereign airspace ends, is a defined area of international airspace that requires ready identification of all aircraft for national security purposes. NORAD emphasized that the presence of Russian aircraft in this zone is not unusual, and it has been a recurring event throughout September.

On September 11, for example, U.S. and Canadian forces intercepted Russian military aircraft in the ADIZ. The following days saw several additional occurrences, including TU-142s on September 13 and a pair of IL-38 aircraft on September 16.

In the press release, NORAD reassured that US forces are on top of the situation. The organization utilizes a defense network consisting of satellites, ground and airborne radars, and fighter aircraft to monitor airspace and respond, if necessary.

"We remain ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America," the statement continued.

While the US ADIZ sightings weren't seen as threatening, Japan has been facing more direct breaches. Japan’s Ministry of Defense revealed that a Russian IL-38 on maritime patrol violated Japan’s territorial airspace on three occasions on September 23. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) then dispatched fighter jets to intercept the Russian aircraft and released flares as a warning.

FMI: www.norad.mil