Russian bombers, fighters detected in Alaska air defense zone; NORAD scrambles intercepts

By THE ALASKA STORY

Feb. 20, 2026 – Two Russian Tu-95 “Bear” strategic bombers were detected operating near Alaska on Thursday as part of a larger formation that prompted a US response, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command.

NORAD said it detected and tracked five Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Feb. 19, with monitoring and reporting continuing into Friday.

The timing is interesting, because there is a lot of activity at Fort Wainwright and Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks this week, with reports of two-star and four-star generals visiting from the Pentagon.  The base has been “locked down tight as a drum,” according to The Alaska Story sources.

The Russian formation included:

• Two Tu-95 strategic bombers

• Two Su-35 fighter jets

• One A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft

In response, NORAD scrambled a mix of US aircraft to identify and escort the formation. The intercept package included two F-16 fighter jets, two F-35 fighter jets, one E-3 airborne early warning aircraft, and four KC-135 aerial refueling tankers.

According to NORAD, the Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter U.S. or Canadian sovereign airspace. Officials emphasized that no threat was posed and that the activity was consistent with routine long-range Russian aviation patrols in the region.

Russian bombers have periodically operated in or near Alaska’s ADIZ for years, including similar activity reported in September 2025. U.S. aircraft routinely intercept and visually identify foreign military aircraft approaching the zone.

The Alaskan ADIZ is not sovereign US airspace but a broader buffer area extending beyond national borders. Aircraft entering the zone are required to identify themselves for national security purposes. Military aircraft from other nations are not prohibited from operating in international airspace within the ADIZ, but they are closely monitored.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense also released images and video from its side of the encounter, showing US fighters flying alongside the Russian aircraft during the intercept.

There were no reports of unsafe maneuvers, airspace violations, or escalation. U.S. officials characterized the incident as a standard training or patrol mission consistent with longstanding patterns of activity in the Arctic region.

Alaska has a continued front-line role in North American air defense, where forces maintain constant surveillance of the Arctic borders.