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Joint patrol of Russian and Chinese nuclear-capable bombers near Alaska.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) reported that fighter jets from the U.S. and Canada intercepted a joint aerial patrol conducted by Russian and Chinese strategic bombers near Alaska. The formation included Russian Tu-95MS “Bear” bombers and Chinese Xi’an H-6 strategic bombers, escorted by Russian Su-30SM and Su-35S fighters, flying a five-hour mission over the Chukchi Sea, the Bering Sea and parts of the North Pacific. The Russian defence ministry stated that their crews “cooperated in the new area of joint operations during all stages of the air patrol.” The aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter Canadian or U.S. sovereign airspace, according to NORAD. The intercept was triggered because the patrol entered the Alaska ADIZ, an area of heightened surveillance though not sovereign airspace. While Canadian and U.S. authorities did not characterize the act as a direct threat, the event marked a further step in the growing cooperation between Moscow and Beijing in the Arctic/neighbouring regions. For Canada, though the aircraft did not cross into Canadian airspace, the proximity of the flight path to Canadian northern approaches and the shared NORAD air-defence responsibility means it has implications for Canada’s northern air-defence posture. e.

Occurrence

2024-07-25

Publication

2024-07-24T22:00:00Z

First observed

2026-09-24T06:09:10.079Z

Review status

Not assessed

Countries

CA, US

Updated

2026-09-27T23:56:59.668Z