U.S. aerospace defense detects, escorts 5 Russian aircraft from Alaska

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said Thursday that it detected five Russian aircraft operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) and escorted them out of the area.

NORAD said in a statement that it deployed two F-16 fighter jets, two F-35 fighter jets, one E-3 airborne warning and control aircraft, and four KC-135 refueling tankers to intercept and escort the aircraft until they departed the Alaskan ADIZ.

The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter U.S. or Canadian sovereign airspace, it said, noting that such activity in the Alaskan ADIZ occurs regularly and is not considered a threat. Enditem