NORAD scrambled F-16s four times in the past week to intercept Russian Il-20 surveillance aircraft operating inside the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone. The most recent encounter occurred Tuesday when two F-16s, an E-3 Sentry, and a KC-135 refueling tanker responded after NORAD tracked an Il-20 in the ADIZ. NORAD stated the Russian planes remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace, and described the activity as regular and not seen as a threat. The Il-20 is a Soviet-era surveillance aircraft with fewer than 20 believed in service, and the four intercepts in a week are unusually frequent this year.
The latest encounter came Tuesday, when NORAD tracked a Russian Il-20 surveillance aircraft inside the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone, a stretch of international airspace where planes must identify themselves for national security reasons. Two F-16s, an E-3 Sentry, and a KC-135 refueling tanker - all American assets, since Canada doesn't operate them - responded to the intrusion, NORAD said.
"The Russian military aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace," Colorado-headquartered NORAD said. "This Russian activity in the Alaskan ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat." Though not a threat, the latest incident notably marked the fourth time since August 20 that NORAD has scrambled F-16s in response to one of the Il-20 aircraft operating within the Alaskan ADIZ.
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