ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Fighter jets from the U.S. and Canada intercepted two Russian jets flying just off Alaska’s northern coast on Monday.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command planes escorted the two Russian Tu-142s during their four-hour flight.
Military officials say the Russian jets never left international airspace but did come within 50 miles of Alaska’s northern coast at one point.
NORAD says the Russian aircraft at no time entered the sovereign airspace of the U.S. or Canada. Russian fighters coming this close to North America is common, averaging up to seven times a year since Russia began the practice again in 2007.