US jets intercept Russian spy plane near Alaska for fourth time in one week

“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,” NORAD said in a statement.

Such encounters are not considered unusual or threatening by U.S. officials but have drawn attention amid heightened geopolitical tensions between Russia and Western countries. Throughout this year, there have been several similar intercepts involving Russian military planes near Alaska's ADIZ. In January, both U.S. and Canadian forces responded to Russian warplanes over the Arctic as part of efforts to maintain vigilance in the region. Additional intercepts took place in February and April when F-35 Lightning II jets were used to track Russian Tu-95 bombers and Su-35 fighters within the zone.

None of these incidents involved breaches into U.S. or Canadian sovereign airspace. In September last year, NORAD released footage showing a close encounter between a Russian Su-35 and its own aircraft off Alaska’s coast—a maneuver described by a U.S. general as “unsafe” and “unprofessional.”

The Ilyushin Il-20M identified this week is an electronic intelligence (ELINT) and reconnaissance platform developed during the Cold War era for intercepting electronic signals and monitoring communications activities from afar. First entering service in 1969 with only 19 units built—several later modernized—the Il-20M continues active duty within Russia’s military forces.

Typically crewed by five flight personnel plus eight mission specialists, the Il-20M has a maximum speed of 685 km/h with an operational range of approximately 4,300 kilometers powered by four Ivchenko AI-20M turboprop engines. Its missions involve collecting radar data, optical reconnaissance imagery, relaying intelligence rapidly to command centers on the ground—roles it still fulfills despite its age.