NORAD Fighter Jets Stage Show of Force Near Russian Border

United States and Canadian fighter jets assigned to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) recently conducted an exercise over Alaska, near the Russian border.

The drill took place on July 10 near Alaska’s Little Diomede Island, located in the Bering Strait between mainland Alaska and Russia’s Far East. The remote island lies 2.4 miles from Russia’s Big Diomede Island, which sits on the opposite side of the international date line.

Newsweek has contacted the Russian Defense Ministry for comment via email.

Why It Matters

Formed by the U.S. and Canada, NORAD provides aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning in the defense of North America—including the detection, validation and caution of attacks against the continent whether by aircraft, missiles or space vehicles.

The Russian military—along with the Chinese military—has previously sent aircraft near U.S. and Canadian sovereign airspace, within both nations’ air defense identification zones. These zones cover international airspace and require the identification of aircraft.

NORAD regularly conducts training to prepare for the interception of foreign military aircraft. In early March, the command’s fighter jets and a U.S. bomber carried out a mock interception over Alaska, showcasing its ability to defend the continent at a moment’s notice.

What To Know

According to photos released on July 16 by the Alaskan NORAD Region and Alaskan Command, U.S. F-16 and Canadian CF-18 fighter jets flew in formation near Little Diomede Island earlier this month during a “binational force integration” training exercise in Alaska.

The Alaskan NORAD Region is one of three regions established under the binational command, alongside the Canadian NORAD Region and the Continental U.S. NORAD Region, the latter of which is divided into the Western and Eastern Air Defense Sectors.

In addition to Little Diomede Island, NORAD fighter jets conducted training over Adak in the Aleutian Islands. In the summer of 2023, the U.S. military intercepted 11 Russian and Chinese naval vessels near Alaska’s island chain, which extends into the Bering Sea.

“Aircraft from the U.S. and Canada conducted training over Alaska demonstrating the flexibility of NORAD and the binational ability to integrate operations across regions to ensure the defense of North America in the High North,” according to a photo caption.

The F-16 fighter jets were launched from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, while the CF-18 fighter jets were deployed from Canadian Forces Base Bagotville in Quebec—about 4,349 miles from Alaska, according to the Royal Canadian Air Force.

The exercise also involved U.S. Air Force KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft and E-3 airborne warning and control system aircraft. The former extends the flight range of fighter jets, while the latter provides battle management, surveillance, target detection and tracking.

What People Are Saying

The mission statement on NORAD’s website said: “In close collaboration with homeland defense, security, and law enforcement partners, prevent air attacks against North America, safeguard the sovereign airspaces of the United States and Canada by responding to unknown, unwanted, and unauthorized air activity approaching and operating within these airspaces, and provide aerospace and maritime warning for North America.”

The Royal Canadian Air Force said in a Facebook post on July 16: “Canadian and American forces worked shoulder-to-shoulder to integrate our forces, practice operational procedures, and demonstrate our ability to defend both countries in the Arctic through the NORAD partnership.”

What Happens Next

The NORAD exercise comes as the U.S. pushes for the establishment of a Golden Dome missile defense system to protect North America. It remains to be seen whether Russia and China will conduct another joint aerial and naval operation near Alaska later this year.