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| Photo Credit: AP. |
Two Russian patrol aircraft made an incursion into U.S. air space two weeks ago, amidst tension over its war in Ukraine.
The aircrafts entered the U.S. and Canadian air defense zone in possible show of force, The Washington Times quoted the commander of the Northern Command to have said Friday.
Air Force Gen. Glen D. VanHerck, Northcom chief who is also the head of the U.S. Canadian North American Aerospace Defense (NORAD) Command, said the recent intrusions was less provocative than past incidents involving nuclear-capable Russian bombers, according to The Washington Times.
Putin raised threat of nuclear response
Russian
President Vladimir Putin and top Kremlin officials raised the threat of a
nuclear response following the U.S. and NATO decision to provide military hardware
to Ukraine following Russia’s invasion of the country.
The
Washington Times reported that Navy Capt. Pamela Kunze, a Northcom spokeswoman
said NORAD identified two Russian IL-38 maritime patrol aircraft flying near
Alaska, adding that one of the patrol aircraft entered the state’s air defense
identification zone.
“NORAD
tracked, identified and took appropriate action. The aircraft departed without
incident,” Capt. Kunze said, according to The Washington Times.
Previous Russian military incursions into U.S. airspace
Last year
the U.S. deployed its F-22 jets to intercept Russia’s turboprop aircraft
following an incursion. Russia has also deployed its Tu-95 bomber formations in
a bid to test U.S. response.
“What they
were doing is just flying through the ADIZ,” Gen. VanHerck said of the recent
incident while speaking with reporters at the annual security conference held
in Aspen, Col, according to The Washington Times.
Gen.
VanHerck noted that Russia “certainly use their maritime patrol aircraft,”
“There was nothing ongoing in the maritime domain for us for them to take a
look at. So I think it was just an opportunity for them to exercise their
flying.”