NORAD Tracks 2 Russian TU-142 Patrol Aircraft Near Alaska - Alaskan Command

�WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 30th March, 2021) NORAD closely tracked two Russian TU-142 Patrol Aircraft as they flew in international airspace near Alaska, its Alaskan command said on Monday.

"At 4:50 a.m. (AKST), the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Region, in support of NORAD, positively identified and tracked two Tu-142 Russian maritime patrol aircraft entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone," the Alaskan command said in a statement.

NORAD pointed out that the Russian aircraft did not enter either US or Canadian sovereign airspace.

"As always, NORAD remains vigilant and ready to protect the sovereign airspace of Canada and the United States to deter, deny and defeat potential threats to our air and maritime approaches," it added.

Two Russian aircraft Tu-142 flew over the water area of the North Sea and in the North-East Atlantic, the Northern Fleet said on Monday.

The flight was conducted over the neutral waters of the Barents, Norwegian and North Seas. In the initial phase of the flight over the Barents Sea, the aircraft were escorted by Su-33 fighters. The flight lasted about 11 hours.

During the flight over the water area of the Norwegian Sea, a pair of F-16 fighters of the Royal Norwegian Air Force were scrambled twice to escort them. In addition, two Typhoon fighters of the Royal Air Force escorted Tu-142 aircraft in the airspace over the North Sea, the Northern Fleet said.

The flight of the Russian aircraft was carried out in strict accordance with international rules for the use of airspace, it added.