Fighter jets from Canada and the US were scrambled this week to monitor Russian military aircraft operating near North America in the Arctic, according to a press release from North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
Multiple Russian military aircraft were tracked earlier this week, but did not violate Canadian or American airspace, NORAD confirmed.
In response, two Canadian CF-18 fighter jets were deployed to patrol northern Canada, while two US F-35 jets from Alaska monitored the coast near the Yukon border.
The operation was supported by three US KC-135 air-to-air refuelling tankers and a US E-3 surveillance plane.
“The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter Alaskan or Canadian Air Defense Identification Zones or sovereign airspace,” NORAD stated in a press release. “This activity is not seen as a threat.”
Air Defense Identification Zones (ADIZ) are designated areas surrounding U.S. and Canadian airspace where aircraft identification is required to ensure national security.
In an email to CTVNews.ca, a NORAD spokesperson confirmed the incident took place on January 28. The Canadian fighter jets had departed from the Canadian Forces Base Bagotville military base in Quebec.
According to Russian news agency TASS, the drills are part of large-scale Russian military exercises in the Arctic, which have been ongoing from January 20 to January 31.
Additionally, two US F-16 fighter jets were deployed from Alaska to Greenland to bolster NORAD’s presence in the region.
NORAD, which was established in 1958 by the US and Canada, is a bi-national defense organization tasked with protecting North America from threats such as Russian bombers and missiles.
The command regularly monitors and intercepts Russian aircraft over the Arctic, with about a dozen such incidents recorded in 2024. The most recent occurrence was on December 17, when four Russian military planes were detected near Alaska.
As global tensions rise, there have been growing calls for NORAD to modernize its aging defense systems to counter emerging threats, including hypersonic missiles.
In response, Canada announced in 2022 a $38.6 billion investment over the next two decades to strengthen NORAD and continental defense.
“NORAD employs a layered defense network of satellites, ground-based and airborne radars, and fighter aircraft to detect and track aircraft and inform appropriate actions,” a NORAD press release stated on January 30.“NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America.”
The same day a US Air Force F-35 fighter jet crashed during a training exercise at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska on Tuesday. The pilot safely ejected from the aircraft and was reported to be in stable condition after being assessed at a nearby medical facility.
The crash took place during the landing phase when the pilot declared an inflight emergency due to a malfunction. Video footage of the incident shows the jet flipping mid-air before crashing to the ground.
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