The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), which is responsible for managing, tracking, and surveilling any activity within the confines of the United States airspace, reported on September 11th, 2024, that a pair of Russian military aircraft were spotted in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). This region is located off of the Alaskan borders in international airspace and is heavily monitored by the United States Air Force
and the Canadian Air Force due to its proximity to foreign powers like Russia, China, and North Korea.
In a press release, NORAD failed to state what kind of Russian aircraft the incurring planes were, but the organization was quick to note that the planes remained within international skies and did not cross the boundary into American or Canadian sovereign airspace. Despite the concerning nature of this incident, NORAD indicated that it did not believe the Russian planes posed a hostile threat and did not indicate that any intercepting aircraft had been dispatched as a result.
While foreign military activity in the ADIZ is nothing new, as many incidents of foreign incursions into the international sector have occurred in recent years, it is still important to identify all of these aircraft for national security purposes. NORAD indicated that it used a combination of satellites and fighter aircraft, alongside ground and airborne radars to track the Russian aircraft.
Not the first time in recent memory
The detection of Russian aircraft today comes quickly on the heels of recent joint Russian-Chinese military activity in the ADIZ. On July 24th, 2024, NORAD detected a pair of Chinese Xian H-6K bombers and a pair of Russian Tupolev Tu-95 bombers flying off of the Alaskan coast.
Photo: Almaz Mustafin | Shutterstock
This joint activity in international airspace marked the first of its kind by Russia and China and served as a strong demonstration of the strategic alliance between the two powers. According to the Center for Strategic & International Studies, the aircraft were intercepted by American and Canadian fighters, and they never crossed into North American sovereign airspace.
Photo: NORAD
Given increasing regional tensions in Asia as well as the conflict in Ukraine, the Kremlin has been quick to try and showcase its strength on the world stage. Furthermore, Beijing seems eager to continue conducting joint military exercises in the Pacific, to demonstrate its commitment to an alliance with Russia. The incursion into the ADIZ coincided with the U.S. and NATO military exercises in the Pacific, which were also designed to showcase allied military strength.
The importance of constant surveillance
These incursions have demonstrated the importance of continuing to monitor all Russian and Chinese activity in the ADIZ and maintaining the infrastructure necessary to respond to any hostile threats. In a statement regarding today’s news, NORAD had the following words to share:
NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America.
If a hostile incursion into US airspace does occur, the United States and Canadian defense commands have an extensive system of intercepting aircraft and ground-based defenses that can counter any threat. Furthermore, NORAD’s extensive system of satellites, aircraft, and radars will continue to ensure that activity in these regions does not go unnoticed.
No additional details were provided by NORAD or by any agency of the American or Canadian governments, other than indicating the activity did not pose a major threat. There has also been no official reaction from the Kremlin. NORAD has maintained that it remains prepared to respond to any threat that may arise.