(Fairbanks, AK.) The Russian military is making regular incursions into U.S. airspace in the Alaska region. The Air Force is responding with F-22’s, supported by the Alaska Air National Guard’s 168th Refueling Wing. Commander Colonel Mark Hedlund says the missions are in reaction to what he describes as Russia trying to re-establish itself as a super power.
“Some of that activity is flying their training missions close to the “ADIZ” in the Alaska zone, and so when they get to that area, and they (U.S. Air Force) launch the F-22’s, we launch with them.”
As part of Alaska Air Guard’s NORAD Alert mission, guard refueling aircraft stationed at Eielson Air Force Base support F-22 fighters scrambled to meet Russian jets passing near or through Alaska’s Air Defense Identification Zone or ADIZ. Colonel Hedlund says the response missions are not confrontational.
”They do intercept them on occasion and follow them along course and it’s a deterrence more or less. There’s typically no aggressive activity associated with that.”
Hedlund says the flight paths of the Russian military training missions are unpredictable, ranging from the Aleutian chain to over northern Alaska. ###
