Two Russian and two Chinese bombers, apparently operating in coordination, were intercepted by NORAD fighter jets from the US and Canada as they approached US airspace in Alaska on Wednesday, CNN reports. NORAD identified the Russian TU-95 Bear and Chinese H-6 bombers as they entered Alaska’s Air Defense Identification Zone, an area outside US airspace where US forces can redirect aircraft before they breach sovereign areas.
In response to the nuclear-armed game of “I’m not touching you,” NORAD deployed American F-16 and F-35 fighter jets, and Canadian CF-18 fighters. Two things are unique: it’s an unusual sighting of the Chinese craft that far north, which haven’t ventured into the Alaska ADIZ before. It was also the first time the H-6 bombers were used on these types of incursion flights, giving US and Canadian forces their initial look at these renovated Soviet-era Tupolev Tu-16 twin-engine bombers.