US Military Scrambles Fighter Jets in Response to New Russian Show of Force Near Alaska.

U.S. forces were once again placed on alert off the coast of Alaska. On July 22, 2025, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) reported that it had detected, tracked, and intercepted four Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) over the Bering Sea. The incursion, which occurred in broad daylight, lasted around fifty minutes. The Russian formation, consisting of two Tu-95MS "Bear" strategic bombers escorted by two Su-35 fighter jets, was continuously monitored by NORAD surveillance systems and intercepted by F-16 and F-35 fighter aircraft.
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North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft positively identified and intercepted a Russian Tu-95 military aircraft over the Bering Sea, 22 July 2025 (Picture source: US DoD)

According to Captain Rebecca Garand, NORAD spokesperson, the Russian group included two Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bombers and two Su-35 multirole fighters. All four were classified as combat aircraft, but remained at all times within international airspace. As such, their presence in the ADIZ did not constitute a violation of U.S. or Canadian sovereignty. However, in line with standard security protocols, NORAD dispatched fighters to intercept and escort the aircraft out of the area. The overall operation lasted roughly three hours, with the Russian planes remaining inside the ADIZ for about fifty minutes.

The Tupolev Tu-95, known to NATO as the Bear, is a four-engine turboprop strategic bomber capable of conducting long-range nuclear strike missions. First introduced in the 1950s and still in service today, particularly in its modernized Tu-95MS variant, the aircraft is characterized by its swept-wing design and Kuznetsov NK-12MP contra-rotating propeller engines, enabling a maximum range of 15,000 km and a cruise speed of 650 km/h. It is equipped for aerial refueling via a forward-mounted probe. The Tu-95MS features onboard navigation and bombing systems, targeting radar, infrared missile approach warning sensors, and electronic warfare equipment including decoy dispensers, jammers, and radar warning receivers. A twin-barreled GSh-23L autocannon mounted in the tail turret provides rearward defensive capability.

In terms of payload, the Tu-95MS can carry up to 15,000 kg of ordnance, including six Kh-55 (AS-15 Kent) nuclear cruise missiles with a range of 3,000 km, launched from a rotary launcher housed in the internal bomb bay. It can also be configured to carry eight conventionally armed Kh-101 cruise missiles or 14 Kh-SD anti-ship missiles. Alternatively, the aircraft may be loaded with unguided general-purpose bombs. Its combination of intercontinental range, strategic missile capacity, and self-defense systems underpins its continued role in Russia’s nuclear deterrent posture.

The ADIZ, which begins where sovereign airspace ends, is a designated international airspace where all entering aircraft must identify themselves for security monitoring purposes. It is part of NORAD’s layered surveillance network, which integrates satellite, ground-based and airborne radar, and fighter aircraft assets. The bi-national U.S.-Canadian command emphasized that Russian air activity in this region is not unusual, though it remains under close watch. NORAD also confirmed it maintains a standing operational readiness to respond to any scenario with a range of available options for the defense of the North American continent.

The July 22 incident follows several similar episodes. In April 2025, NORAD reported another presence of Russian aircraft within the Alaskan ADIZ. Three months prior, U.S. and Canadian fighter jets had been mobilized to shadow Russian aircraft spotted over the Arctic, a region where geopolitical friction has been rising in recent years. In that context, two F-16s were redeployed from Alaska to Greenland to enhance the forward positioning of NORAD’s aerial defense capabilities. In September 2024, NORAD released footage showing a Russian Su-35 flying just a few feet from a North American aircraft, an encounter described at the time by a U.S. general as “unacceptable.”

These recurring events illustrate a persistent strategic competition between major powers in previously marginal theaters. Alaska and the broader Arctic region are increasingly emerging as potential zones of confrontation, where deterrence now relies on active presence and rapid response. In this context, NORAD has reiterated its principle of “meeting presence with presence,” reinforcing its stated commitment to the aerial defense of North America. Although the repeated interceptions do not currently signal an escalation, they point to a growing tempo of military activity in a region where strategic ambiguity is steadily narrowing.