U.S. F-16s Intercept Russian Tu-95MS Bombers and Su-35 Fighters Near Alaska

In a high-profile air defense operation on September 11, 2025, U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jets under the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) intercepted a formation of Russian long-range bombers and fighter escorts approaching the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). The intercept involved Tu-95MS strategic bombers escorted by Su-35 multirole fighters—highlighting continued tensions in the Arctic airspace amid growing geopolitical friction between NATO and Russia.

Details of the Intercept Mission

According to official statements from NORAD and corroborated by U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), the incident occurred in international airspace near Alaska’s ADIZ but did not breach sovereign U.S. or Canadian territory. The Russian formation consisted of two Tupolev Tu-95MS “Bear-H” strategic bombers—nuclear-capable aircraft with intercontinental range—and at least two Sukhoi Su-35S Flanker-E fighters providing escort.

The intercept was conducted by U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons scrambled from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), supported by KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft and E-3 Sentry AWACS for command-and-control coordination. NORAD emphasized that such intercepts are routine when foreign military aircraft approach North American airspace without prior coordination.

This marks at least the third such encounter in 2025 involving Russian long-range aviation near North America. While no unsafe maneuvers were reported during this particular intercept, NORAD continues to monitor these flights closely due to their potential intelligence-gathering or strategic signaling purposes.

Aircraft Capabilities: Tu-95MS vs F-16 vs Su-35

The Tupolev Tu-95MS is a Cold War-era turboprop bomber modernized for cruise missile delivery roles. It can carry Kh-101/Kh-102 long-range cruise missiles with conventional or nuclear warheads and has a combat radius exceeding 6,000 km without refueling. Despite its age and radar signature, its endurance makes it ideal for probing missions along NATO peripheries.

The Su-35S is Russia’s most advanced operational multirole fighter short of fifth-generation platforms like the Su-57. Equipped with an Irbis-E passive electronically scanned array (PESA) radar and thrust-vectoring AL-41F1S engines, it provides credible escort capability for high-value assets like the Tu‑95MS.

In contrast, the USAF’s F‑16C/D Block 40/50 variants remain highly capable fourth-generation fighters optimized for quick reaction alert (QRA) tasks under NORAD’s Integrated Air Defense System (IADS). Armed with AIM‑120 AMRAAMs and supported by networked C2 assets like AWACS and Link 16 datalinks, they are well-suited to identify and shadow foreign aircraft in contested zones like the Arctic ADIZ.

NORAD’s Role in Continental Air Defense

NORAD—a bi-national command between Canada and the United States—has been tasked since 1958 with aerospace warning and control over North American skies. Its mission includes detection of incoming missile threats as well as airborne incursions into sovereign or monitored airspace zones such as ADIZ boundaries around Alaska.

Intercept operations typically follow a structured protocol:

Detection via ground-based radar or space-based infrared systems
Identification through airborne early warning platforms like E‑3 Sentry
Scramble order issued to QRA fighters stationed at key bases such as JBER or Thule AFB
Visual identification via close formation flying to confirm type/nationality/payload
Shadowing until foreign aircraft exit ADIZ or reverse course

NORAD conducts dozens of such intercepts annually—many involving Russian Aerospace Forces’ Long Range Aviation units conducting patrols over international waters near Alaska or Canada’s Arctic archipelago.

Strategic Context: Arctic Tensions Rising

The latest intercept underscores growing military activity across polar regions where Russia has significantly expanded its Northern Fleet infrastructure—including new runways on Franz Josef Land—and resumed Soviet-style bomber patrols across the Arctic Ocean toward Greenland-Iceland-U.K. (GIUK) gaps.

The United States has responded with increased deployments under Operation Noble Defender—a recurring series of Arctic-focused readiness exercises involving U.S., Canadian, Danish, Norwegian forces—to rehearse multi-domain defense against peer adversaries in extreme environments.

This dynamic reflects broader geopolitical competition over emerging shipping lanes (e.g., Northern Sea Route), untapped hydrocarbon reserves under melting ice caps, and dual-use satellite tracking stations being built across Siberia’s north coast.

No Violation but Clear Signaling

NORAD clarified that while no violation of sovereign airspace occurred during this event—and no weapons were armed—the presence of nuclear-capable bombers escorted by advanced fighters so close to U.S./Canadian territory is interpreted as deliberate signaling by Moscow amid deteriorating East-West relations post–Ukraine invasion escalation.

This pattern mirrors Cold War-era bomber patrol tactics used for both training purposes and strategic messaging toward adversaries’ political leadership during periods of tension escalation or arms control breakdowns.

Conclusion: Routine Yet Strategic Encounters

The September 11 incident serves as another reminder that while technically routine within international law frameworks governing open skies operations over international waters/airspace—the proximity of nuclear-capable platforms to U.S./Canadian territory elevates each encounter into a potential flashpoint requiring disciplined response protocols on both sides.

NORAD’s ability to rapidly detect, track, identify, and shadow these formations remains critical not only for homeland defense but also for maintaining credible deterrence posture across increasingly contested polar domains where great power competition is accelerating year-on-year.

SOURCES:

NORAD Public Affairs – “NORAD Intercepts Russian Aircraft Approaching Alaska” – norad.mil
DVIDS – “USAF Conducts Arctic QRA Scramble” – dvidshub.net
TASS News Agency – “Russian Strategic Bombers Conduct Pacific Patrol” – tass.com
Aviation Week – “Tu‑95 Bear Bomber Patrol Patterns Resurge” – aviationweek.com
The Drive / WarZone – “Russian Bombers Escorted Near Alaska Again” – thedrive.com/the-war-zone