The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected and tracked Russian military aircraft operating within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Wednesday, according to a statement released by NORAD Public Affairs.
The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace. NORAD emphasized that this type of activity is a regular occurrence and is not considered a threat.
An Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) extends beyond a country’s sovereign airspace and is a defined area of international airspace where the ready identification of aircraft is required for national security purposes. The Alaskan ADIZ covers a significant area of airspace off the coast of Alaska.
NORAD utilizes a sophisticated, multi-layered defense system to monitor and respond to air traffic in and around North America. This system includes a network of satellites, ground-based radars, airborne radars, and fighter aircraft.
While the specific type and number of Russian aircraft involved in the February 19th incident were not disclosed, NORAD’s statement suggests that the situation was handled routinely and without escalation.
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