Finance
NORAD detects Russian planes off of Alaska, sends aircraft in response
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 20, 2026
1 min readLast updated: February 20, 2026
Tags:currencies
Quick Summary
On Feb. 19, 2026, NORAD tracked Russian Tu-95s, Su-35s and an A-50 in the Alaskan ADIZ. U.S. F-35s, F-16s and support aircraft intercepted and escorted them; all Russian aircraft remained in international airspace.
NORAD Spots Russian Aircraft Near Alaska, Scrambles Jets in Response
NORAD Intercept Overview
Feb 19 (Reuters) - The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said on Thursday it detected and tracked multiple Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) off Alaska.
Russian Aircraft Identified
NORAD detected and tracked two Russian Tu-95s, two Su-35s, and one A-50 operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification zone, the U.S and Canadian defense organization said in a statement.
NORAD Response Assets
NORAD said it responded by launching two F-16s, two F-35s, one E-3, and four KC-135s to intercept, positively identify, and escort the aircraft.
Airspace and Escort Outcome
The Russian military aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace, NORAD said, adding that the aircraft were escorted until they departed the Alaskan ADIZ.
Reporting and Credits
(Reporting by Devika Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
Key Takeaways
- •NORAD tracked two Tu-95s, two Su-35s and an A-50 in the Alaskan ADIZ on Feb. 19, 2026.
- •U.S. aircraft launched included two F-16s, two F-35s, one E-3 and four KC-135s.
- •All Russian planes stayed in international airspace; no sovereign airspace breach.
- •Such ADIZ intercepts are routine and not considered a direct threat.
- •Event underscores ongoing Arctic monitoring and geopolitical risk for markets.
Frequently Asked Questions about NORAD detects Russian planes off of Alaska, sends aircraft in response
1What is the main topic?
NORAD detected multiple Russian military aircraft in the Alaskan ADIZ on Feb. 19, 2026, and launched U.S. jets to intercept, identify and escort them without any breach of U.S. or Canadian airspace.
2Which aircraft were involved?
Russia flew two Tu-95 bombers, two Su-35 fighters and an A-50 AEW&C. NORAD responded with two F-35s, two F-16s, an E-3 and four KC-135 tankers.
3Did the Russian planes violate U.S. airspace?
No. The aircraft operated in the Alaskan ADIZ and remained in international airspace. There was no entry into U.S. or Canadian sovereign airspace.
4Why does this matter for markets?
While routine, such intercepts can raise geopolitical risk sentiment, potentially influencing defense equities, energy prices and safe-haven flows.
