Sunday, September 21, 2014

Canadian Fighter Jets Intercepts Six Russian Military Airplanes

Canadian fighter jets intercepted Russian aircraft that were flying near U.S. and Canadian air space this week, a military spokesman has confirmed. 
 
Two F-22 fighter jets intercepted six Russian military airplanes that neared the western coast of Alaska according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
 
Lt. Col. Michael Jazdyk, a spokesman for NORAD, said the jets intercepted the planes about 55 nautical miles from the Alaskan coast at about 7 p.m. Pacific time on Wednesday.
 
The Russian planes were identified as two IL-78 refueling tankers, two Mig-31 fighter jets and two Bear long-range bombers.
 
NORAD said that they entered the United States' air defense identification zone (ADIZ), an area beyond sovereign U.S. airspace.
 
On Thursday, at 1:30 a.m. two Canadian CF-18 fighter jets intercepted two of the long-range bombers about 40 nautical miles off the Canadian coastline. 
 
Jazdyk said in the past five years, jets under NORAD's command have intercepted more than 50 Russian bombers approaching North American airspace. 

A spokesman for NORAD and NORTHCOM added: 'We do not see these flights as a threat.' 
 
NORAD, a bi-national American and Canadian command is responsible for air defense in North America.

This latest incident took place as the US and Russia are increasingly at odds over Ukraine, where Russian-backed separatists have been fighting for control of parts of the former Soviet state.
 
This week, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko secured over $50 million in U.S. assistance during a visit to Washington but did not clinch U.S. weapons his soldiers might use to fight the separatists. 

Poroshenko also visited Canada this week and received aid in the form of a C$200 million ($182 million) five-year loan. 
Meanwhile, a spokesman said today that Royal Air Force jets were also deployed from Scotland to intercept Russian military 'Bear' aircraft that were flying too close to the airspace it guards.
 
Aircraft based at RAF Lossiemouth, based in Moray, were sent to identify the aircraft - Tu-95 Russian Bear H bombers - that were spotted in international airspace.

AP

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