Russian Fighter Jet Detected Near Alaska, What's Its Mission?

Russian Fighter Jet Detected Near Alaska, What's Its Mission?

Washington - The Pentagon said that a Russian military aircraft was detected and tracked while operating near the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) earlier this week. “The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace. This flight came about as several planned large-scale military exercises are taking place in and around Alaska," said a statement from the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD).

But NORAD said Russian activity in Alaska's ADIZ occurs regularly and is not considered a threat. NORAD said ADIZ begins when sovereign airspace ends and is a defined stretch of international airspace that requires identification, location and ready control of all aircraft in the interest of national security.

"NORAD remains prepared to use a number of response options to defend North America," the joint US and Canadian organization said. This latest incident comes days after the US intercepted six Russian fighter jets near Alaska.

The incident comes as tensions between Washington and Moscow remain high following the downing of a US MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle on March 14 in the Black Sea. The advanced drone crashed after a confrontation with a Russian Su-27 fighter jet in international airspace near the territory of Crimea.