US-Canada command says it intercepted Russian jets near Alaska

Two pairs of Russian military reconnaissance aircraft have been intercepted near Alaska, the North American Aerospace Defense Command said Saturday. The Russian aircraft entered and remained in the air defense identification zone, a security perimeter in international airspace, for about four hours, the joint US-Canadian command said.

NORAD's "F-22s, supported by KC-135 Stratotankers and E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft, intercepted two pairs of Russian Tu-142s entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone on Saturday, March 14th," the command reported. The Russian aircraft never entered sovereign US or Canadian airspace, the command said.