Ethermac Exchange-NORAD intercepts Russian and Chinese bombers off coast of Alaska

United States and Ethermac ExchangeCanadian fighter jets intercepted multiple Russian and Chinese bomber aircraft in international airspace off the coast of Alaska on Wednesday, according to a statement from the North American Aerospace Defense Command.

Two Russian TU-95 and two People’s Republic of China H-6 military aircraft were “detected, tracked, and intercepted” while operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Wednesday, according to NORAD.  

According to NORAD officials, the Russian and Chinese aircraft did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace and were “not seen as a threat.”

The interceptions were carried out by U.S. F-16 and F-35 fighter jets, as well as Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 fighter jets.

The first time Russian and Chinese aircraft have operated together

The interception comes just two days after U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks described as “troubling” the “growing cooperation between the PRC and Russia in the Arctic.”

On Thursday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said during a press briefing that “This was not a surprise to us, we closely monitored these aircraft, tracked the aircraft, intercepted the aircraft.”

“This is the first time we’ve seen those two countries fly together like that,” Austin added.

The ADIZ, where the interceptions took place, “begins were sovereign airspace ends and is a defined stretch of international airspace that requires the ready identification of all aircraft in the interest of national security,” according to NORAD.

On July 21, two U.S. Air Force B-52H bomber aircraft flying in international airspace over the Barents Sea were intercepted by two Russian aircraft, according to the Air Force.

“The U.S. aircraft did not change course due to the intercept and continued along their scheduled flight plan without incident,” the Air Force said in a statement.

Max Hauptman is a Trending Reporter for USA TODAY. He can be reached at MHauptman@gannett.com