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DefenceTalk<\/p>\nDefenceTalk<\/p>\n
US fighter jets intercepted Russian bombers twice on Wednesday off the coast of Alaska, US air defense command said.<\/p>\n
The intercepts come less than two weeks after US bombers were met by Russian jets over the Black Sea.<\/p>\n
North American Aerospace Defense Command said US F-22 Raptors intercepted a Russian bomber formation early Wednesday that came within 20 nautical miles (37 kilometers) of the Alaskan coast.<\/p>\n
The formation consisted of two TU-95 bombers, two SU-35 fighter jets and an A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft, NORAD said.<\/p>\n
The second formation consisted of two TU-95 bombers and an A-50 and came within 32 nautical miles (60 kilometers) of Alaskan shores.<\/p>\n
NORAD said the Russian warplanes remained in international airspace at all times and did not enter US airspace.<\/p>\n
The United States maintains an Air Defense Identification Zone off of Alaska which extends beyond national territory to allow for a response to possibly hostile incursions.<\/p>\n
\u201cFlying air patrols protects the approaches to our nations and sends a clear message we continue executing our homeland defense missions with the same capability and capacity we always bring to the fight,\u201d NORAD commander General Terrence O\u2019Shaughnessy said in a statement.<\/p>\n
The Russian defense ministry said on May 29 that two US B-1B bombers had been intercepted by Russian warplanes during a flight over the Black Sea.<\/p>\n