The U.S. military scrambled fighter jets four times in under a week to track a Russian IL‑20 reconnaissance aircraft near Alaska’s ADIZ, testing America’s airspace vigilance. NORAD emphasized the flights stayed in international airspace and posed no imminent threat.
A Russian IL‑20M (NATO codename “Coot‑A”), a Cold War‑era surveillance aircraft, was detected inside the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone—an area requiring aircraft to identify themselves—on four occasions in the past week: August 20, 21, 24, and most recently August 26, 2025.
Each time, NORAD responded decisively. In the latest incident on Tuesday, August 26, they dispatched two F‑16 Fighting Falcons, an E‑3 Sentry AWACS, and a KC‑135 tanker to track the intruder.
NORAD reiterated that the Russian IL‑20 remained in international airspace and did not enter U.S. or Canadian sovereign airspace. American defenders described the activity as routine, noting continued readiness with layered defense systems including satellites, radar networks, and interceptor aircraft.
The military command stated, “NORAD employs a layered defense network of satellites, ground-based and airborne radars, and fighter aircraft to detect and track aircraft and inform appropriate actions…NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America.”
This spate of Russian flights appears to be the busiest surge this year along that frontier, underscoring both the resilience of U.S. defense posture and the persistence of strategic probing by adversaries
