« NORAD’s top priority is defending Canada and the United States,” General Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy, the NORAD commander, said.
Two nuclear-capable Russian aircraft encroached close to American airspace on Friday, forcing Canadian and U. S. fighter jets to scramble and intercept the planes.
The Russian Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers entered an area patrolled by Canada’s Royal Air Force on Friday, close to Alaska, The Independent reported. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) revealed the incident on Saturday, saying that two U. S. F-22 and two Canadian CF-18 intercepted the Russian planes, escorting them away from the zone.
« NORAD’s top priority is defending Canada and the United States,” General Terrence O’Shaughnessy, the NORAD commander, said in a statement, according to Radio Free Europe. “Our ability to protect our nations starts with successfully detecting, tracking, and positively identifying aircraft of interest approaching U. S. and Canadian airspace,” he added.
An Ilyushin Il-78 Midas air force tanker and a Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bomber fly over the equestrian statue of Russia’s Prince Yuri Dolgoruky during the Victory Day military parade general rehearsal in Moscow on May 7,2017 VASILY MAXIMOV/AFP/Getty Images
The Russian Defense Ministry said the mission was a routine scheduled flight over neutral waters.
