American fighter jets intercepted five Russian aircraft in the air defence zone near Alaska.
The North American Aerospace Defence Command reported that on 19 February 2026, five Russian military aircraft were detected and tracked in the Alaska Air Defence Identification Zone. These included two Tu-95 strategic bombers, two Su-35 fighters, and an A-50 long-range radar detection aircraft.
In response, NORAD scrambled two F-16 fighters, two F-35s, an E-3 long-range radar detection aircraft, and four KC-135 refuelling aircraft. The American aircraft intercepted, identified and escorted the Russian aircraft until they left the ADIZ.
The command emphasised that the Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter the sovereign airspace of the United States or Canada. Such activity by Russia in Alaska's ADIZ occurs regularly and is not considered an immediate threat.
The ADIZ begins where the sovereign airspace of states ends and is a defined area of international airspace in which the operational identification of all aircraft is required for national security reasons. NORAD uses a multi-layered defence system, including satellites, ground-based and airborne radars, and fighter aircraft, to monitor the air situation in North America.
