To identify and intercept four Russian military aircraft off the coast of Alaska, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) deployed fighter jets.
The incident took place on Wednesday. In a statement released on Thursday, NORAD reported that two Russian Tu-95 bombers and two Su-35 fighters were detected in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).
In response, the US-Canadian defense organization mobilized an E-3 early warning aircraft, four F-16 fighters, and four KC-135 tankers.
ADIZ is international airspace adjacent to the sovereign airspace of the US and Canada. According to NORAD, the Russian aircraft did not enter the airspace of either country.
The incident comes at a time when Danish authorities are reporting an investigation into unidentified drones observed near military facilities. Referring to the NORAD statement, CBS News notes that many commentators see the event in ADIZ as a test of the readiness of the US and allied NATO countries.