Breaking News: U.S. NORAD Fighter Jets Intercept Russian Tu-95 Bombers and Su-35 Combat Aircraft Near Alaska
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On July 22, 2025, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) identified and tracked a group of Russian military aircraft operating within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). The formation included Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bombers escorted by Sukhoi Su-35 multirole fighter jets. In response, U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II and F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft were scrambled to conduct a visual identification and escort mission. NORAD released photos confirming the close-range intercept of the Russian aircraft, which remained in international airspace and did not violate U.S. or Canadian sovereign territory.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
A NORAD U.S. Air Force F-35 fighter jet intercepts and monitors a Russian Tu-95 strategic bomber escorted by a Su-35 fighter during flight operations within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone. (Picture source: U.S. NORAD)
The NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) is a binational military organization established in 1958 by the United States and Canada. It is responsible for aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning for North America. The command integrates ground-based and airborne radars, satellite surveillance, and fighter aircraft to detect, assess, and respond to aerial threats in real time. With its headquarters at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, NORAD conducts round-the-clock monitoring of North American airspace, including the Alaskan ADIZ ( Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone), to ensure early detection of any potential threat from foreign military aircraft, missiles, or unidentified objects.
This Russian aerial maneuver follows a recurring pattern of long-range aviation activity in the North Pacific and Arctic regions. Earlier this year, in April 2025, NORAD conducted a similar intercept when a pair of Russian Tu-142 maritime patrol aircraft entered the Alaskan ADIZ (Air Defense Identification Zone). In February 2025, U.S. fighter jets were also deployed to monitor a flight of Il-38 anti-submarine warfare aircraft operating in the same zone. These missions, while typically non-aggressive and compliant with international flight norms, are interpreted as strategic probing efforts designed to assess North American air defense posture, timing, and coordination capabilities.
The Alaskan ADIZ is a critical component of NORAD’s layered defense network. It stretches hundreds of kilometers beyond U.S. and Canadian sovereign airspace and serves as a forward operating buffer for identifying, tracking, and if necessary, intercepting any aircraft approaching the continent. NORAD’s mission in this region includes continuous aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning in defense of North America. This binational command integrates radar surveillance, satellite tracking, airborne warning platforms, and quick reaction alert fighter jets to detect and respond to any airspace violations or suspicious activity.
Control of the Alaskan ADIZ is vital due to its proximity to the Russian Far East and the emerging strategic importance of the Arctic. Russia’s long-range aviation forces, including Tu-95 bombers and Tu-160 aircraft, frequently use this route to project power, conduct deterrence patrols, and test allied defense systems. Beyond Russia, the increasing global military activity in the Indo-Pacific and the expanding reach of Chinese and North Korean missile capabilities reinforce the necessity for NORAD to maintain absolute control over this airspace. The ADIZ offers critical early-warning time that allows NORAD and national command authorities to assess intent and prepare a calibrated response in case of a real threat.
The Tupolev Tu-95 is a four-engine turboprop strategic bomber designed to carry long-range cruise missiles with conventional or nuclear payloads. Despite its vintage design, it has been modernized and remains a core element of Russia’s strategic bomber fleet. The Su-35, which escorted the Tu-95s during the July 22, 2025, mission, is one of Russia’s most advanced fighters, equipped for air superiority missions with powerful sensors, extended range, and advanced missiles. Together, these aircraft provide a long-range strike package capable of challenging adversarial air defenses and signaling strategic intent.
As international tensions increase and Arctic competition intensifies, the Alaskan ADIZ has become more than a surveillance zone. It is a strategic frontline. NORAD’s role in protecting this space ensures that any potential threat from Russia, China, or other actors is met with a rapid and effective military response, preserving the aerial sovereignty and security of North America.
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On July 22, 2025, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) identified and tracked a group of Russian military aircraft operating within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). The formation included Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bombers escorted by Sukhoi Su-35 multirole fighter jets. In response, U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II and F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft were scrambled to conduct a visual identification and escort mission. NORAD released photos confirming the close-range intercept of the Russian aircraft, which remained in international airspace and did not violate U.S. or Canadian sovereign territory.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
A NORAD U.S. Air Force F-35 fighter jet intercepts and monitors a Russian Tu-95 strategic bomber escorted by a Su-35 fighter during flight operations within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone. (Picture source: U.S. NORAD)
The NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) is a binational military organization established in 1958 by the United States and Canada. It is responsible for aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning for North America. The command integrates ground-based and airborne radars, satellite surveillance, and fighter aircraft to detect, assess, and respond to aerial threats in real time. With its headquarters at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, NORAD conducts round-the-clock monitoring of North American airspace, including the Alaskan ADIZ ( Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone), to ensure early detection of any potential threat from foreign military aircraft, missiles, or unidentified objects.
This Russian aerial maneuver follows a recurring pattern of long-range aviation activity in the North Pacific and Arctic regions. Earlier this year, in April 2025, NORAD conducted a similar intercept when a pair of Russian Tu-142 maritime patrol aircraft entered the Alaskan ADIZ (Air Defense Identification Zone). In February 2025, U.S. fighter jets were also deployed to monitor a flight of Il-38 anti-submarine warfare aircraft operating in the same zone. These missions, while typically non-aggressive and compliant with international flight norms, are interpreted as strategic probing efforts designed to assess North American air defense posture, timing, and coordination capabilities.
The Alaskan ADIZ is a critical component of NORAD’s layered defense network. It stretches hundreds of kilometers beyond U.S. and Canadian sovereign airspace and serves as a forward operating buffer for identifying, tracking, and if necessary, intercepting any aircraft approaching the continent. NORAD’s mission in this region includes continuous aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning in defense of North America. This binational command integrates radar surveillance, satellite tracking, airborne warning platforms, and quick reaction alert fighter jets to detect and respond to any airspace violations or suspicious activity.
Control of the Alaskan ADIZ is vital due to its proximity to the Russian Far East and the emerging strategic importance of the Arctic. Russia’s long-range aviation forces, including Tu-95 bombers and Tu-160 aircraft, frequently use this route to project power, conduct deterrence patrols, and test allied defense systems. Beyond Russia, the increasing global military activity in the Indo-Pacific and the expanding reach of Chinese and North Korean missile capabilities reinforce the necessity for NORAD to maintain absolute control over this airspace. The ADIZ offers critical early-warning time that allows NORAD and national command authorities to assess intent and prepare a calibrated response in case of a real threat.
The Tupolev Tu-95 is a four-engine turboprop strategic bomber designed to carry long-range cruise missiles with conventional or nuclear payloads. Despite its vintage design, it has been modernized and remains a core element of Russia’s strategic bomber fleet. The Su-35, which escorted the Tu-95s during the July 22, 2025, mission, is one of Russia’s most advanced fighters, equipped for air superiority missions with powerful sensors, extended range, and advanced missiles. Together, these aircraft provide a long-range strike package capable of challenging adversarial air defenses and signaling strategic intent.
As international tensions increase and Arctic competition intensifies, the Alaskan ADIZ has become more than a surveillance zone. It is a strategic frontline. NORAD’s role in protecting this space ensures that any potential threat from Russia, China, or other actors is met with a rapid and effective military response, preserving the aerial sovereignty and security of North America.
