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US jets scramble to intercept Russian bombers off California, Alaska coasts
Mon Jul 06, 2015 8:07 pm
While the United States celebrated Independence Day, two pairs of Russian bombers flew off the coast of California and Alaska - forcing the Air Force to scramble fighter jets to intercept both flights.
Two senior defense officials told Fox News, Censor.NET informs.
The first incident occurred at 10:30 a.m. ET on July 4 off the coast of Alaska, Fox News is told. Two U.S. Air Force F-22 jets were scrambled from their base in Alaska to intercept two Tupolev Tu-95 long-range strategic bombers, capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
The second incident occurred at 11:00 a.m. ET also on July 4, off the central coast of California. Two F-15s from an undisclosed location were scrambled to intercept another pair of Tu-95 Bear bombers.
Read more: Russian MiG-29 fighter jet crashed near Ukrainian border, - source
A spokesman for NORAD would not confirm if either pair of bombers was armed.
At no time did either pair of bombers enter U.S. airspace, 12 nautical miles off the coast, according to one defense official. Neither official would reveal just how close the bombers came to U.S. shores.
At the same time the bombers were in the air probing the West Coast of the United States, Russian President Vladimir Putin called President Obama to wish him a happy July 4th.
"These are not unprecedented flights, but we are postured to respond whether Alaska or California," NORAD spokesman Michael Kucharek said. "At no time did the bombers enter North American sovereign airspace."
A similar incident took place on July 4, 2013.
censor.net.ua: In Russian
Two senior defense officials told Fox News, Censor.NET informs.
The first incident occurred at 10:30 a.m. ET on July 4 off the coast of Alaska, Fox News is told. Two U.S. Air Force F-22 jets were scrambled from their base in Alaska to intercept two Tupolev Tu-95 long-range strategic bombers, capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
The second incident occurred at 11:00 a.m. ET also on July 4, off the central coast of California. Two F-15s from an undisclosed location were scrambled to intercept another pair of Tu-95 Bear bombers.
Read more: Russian MiG-29 fighter jet crashed near Ukrainian border, - source
A spokesman for NORAD would not confirm if either pair of bombers was armed.
At no time did either pair of bombers enter U.S. airspace, 12 nautical miles off the coast, according to one defense official. Neither official would reveal just how close the bombers came to U.S. shores.
At the same time the bombers were in the air probing the West Coast of the United States, Russian President Vladimir Putin called President Obama to wish him a happy July 4th.
"These are not unprecedented flights, but we are postured to respond whether Alaska or California," NORAD spokesman Michael Kucharek said. "At no time did the bombers enter North American sovereign airspace."
A similar incident took place on July 4, 2013.
censor.net.ua: In Russian
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