Intrusions into another country’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) can have different meanings depending on context.
On Sunday, combat jets assigned to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) intercepted a Russian military intelligence aircraft that was operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone. The aircraft in question was a Russian Ilyushin Il-20M surveillance aircraft—specializing in electronic and communications intelligence gathering, similar in function to the US Air Force’s E-3 Sentry AWACS plane.
To intercept and visually identify the Il-20M, the US military launched two F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets, two KC-135 Stratotanker air tankers, and an E-3 Sentry.
“The Russian military aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace. This Russian activity in the Alaskan ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat,” NORAD stated in a press release.
Yet although NORAD framed the Russian flight as non-threatening, it marks the seventh time this year that the command has scrambled fighter jets in order to intercept Russian aircraft flying inside the US ADIZ. Prior to Sunday’s incidents, similar flights took place on Wednesday, August 20 and Thursday, August 21. The Russian Aerospace Forces used the Il-20M in all three of the last incidents.
The three interceptions also came less than 10 days after US President Donald Trump met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, in Alaska to discuss a possible negotiated peace in Ukraine. It is not clear if the timing is a coincidence.
What Is an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ)?
A country’s air defense identification zone is a defined area of international airspace wherein all aircraft are subject to identification requests by a neighboring sovereign country. If an aircraft declines to provide forewarning of its intentions in this area, the ADIZ country will usually scramble fighter jets to intercept the aircraft.
An ADIZ is not the same as a country’s airspace. Because an ADIZ constitutes international airspace, there are no restrictions on flying in it. If, on the other hand, one country’s aircraft entered another country’s sovereign airspace without permission, that country would engage in far more aggressive action—up to and including shooting the violating aircraft down. In 2015, Turkey notably shot down a Russian fighter jet operating in Syria after it crossed into Turkish airspace, leading to a brief diplomatic crisis between the two nations.
Why Would Russia Fly into America’s ADIZ?
Antagonistic nations will often fly aircraft in each other’s air defense identification zones as a means of testing their response times. In particular, China has provocatively flown dozens of aircraft around Taiwanese airspace, testing the Republic of China Air Force for weaknesses. This was likely one intent of Russia’s flight near Alaska as well.
“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,” the command tasked with defending the US homeland added.
NORAD is a combined command that protects both US and Canadian airspace. Both countries contribute radar, air defense, fighter jets, and other assets to ensure that every aircraft entering the US and Canada is legitimate. The service is probably best known, however, for its annual mission to track Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.
Intrusions into another country’s ADIZ can have different meanings depending on context. For example, the Russian military might want to eavesdrop on a US military exercise taking place in the region. Also, the Kremlin might want to send a message of hostility to the US government about a certain foreign policy or incident. Further, Moscow might want to appear strong to the Russian people—and use such “intrusions” as a way to achieve that.
US-Russian relations remain at a historic nadir following Putin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
Image: Shutterstock / Meoita.
