NORAD F-22s, CF-18s, supported by KC-135 Stratotanker and E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft, intercepted two Russian Tu-142 maritime reconnaissance aircraft entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone on Monday, March 9th. pic.twitter.com/39n3zqy8F8

— North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) March 10, 2020

US and Canadian fighter jets intercepted two Russian reconnaissance aircraft near Alaska and escorted them for hours, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command.

The two Tupolev Tu-142 maritime recon planes entered the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone on Monday, prompting American F-22 Raptor stealth jets and Canadian CF-18 Hornets to scramble, NORAD said.

The Russian aircraft remained in the security perimeter in international airspace for about four hours – coming as close as 50 miles to the Alaskan coast, according to the joint US-Canadian command that focuses on the defense of the North American airspace.

In addition to the fighter jets, NORAD said it also deployed a KC-135 Stratotanker refueling plane and an E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft to track the Russian planes.

“The Russian aircraft did not enter United States or Canadian sovereign airspace,” NORAD said.

“NORAD continues to operate in the Arctic across multiple domains,” NORAD commander Gen. Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy said in a release.

“As we continue to conduct exercises and operations in the north, we are driven by a single unyielding priority: defending the homelands,” he added.