Canada, US fighters intercept Russian bombers on Arctic border

0 Comments | AFP, September, 2006

OTTAWA (AFP) — Canada and US fighter jets intercepted two Russian bombers late Thursday that skimmed the North American continent's northern frontier during a Russian training exercise, defense officials said. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) launched three pairs of fighters from northern bases "in response to Russian aircraft that penetrated North America's air defense identification zone," the agency said in a statement.

"While the Russian air assets at no time violated US or Canadian airspace," spokesman Major General Brett Cairns said NORAD detected the "Russian Tu-95 Bear heavy bombers participating in an annual Russian air force exercise near the coast of Alaska and Canada" and responded. US F-15s intercepted the bombers off the west coast of Alaska...