US, Canadian fighter jets intercept Russian bombers off Alaska: NORAD

Washington, Aug 9 (IANS) US and Canadian fighter jets intercepted Russian bombers off the coast of Alaska, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).Two US F-22 and two Canadian CF-18 fighter aircraft, supported by tanker planes and an early warning and control aircraft, "positively identified and intercepted two Tu-95 Bear bombers in the Alaskan and Canadian ADIZ (air defense identification zone) on Aug. 8th", Xinhua quoted NORAD as saying on Twitter on Thursday."The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace in the Beaufort Sea and at no time did the aircraft enter US or Canadian sovereign airspace," NORAD added.NORAD is a US and Canada bi-national organisation charged with the missions of aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning for North America.
--IANS vin/