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Post-Summit Spy Game? US Scrambles F-16s to Shadow Russian Spy Plane Off Alaska Coast
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
US F-16 fighter jets intercepted a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft operating inside the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) on August 20.
“NORAD detected, tracked, and positively identified one Russian Il-20 operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone,” the command confirmed in a statement.
The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter sovereign US or Canadian territory, officials stressed.
Взлет самолета Ил-20 ВКС России, именно такой же аналогичный самолет был сбит. Вечная память всем нашим ребятам! Земля пухом! Наши Герои! pic.twitter.com/XsmJitqXsP
— Анатолий Власов 🇷🇺 (@AnatolyVlasov87) September 18, 2018
Even so, NORAD scrambled two F-16 fighter jets and a KC-135 tanker to shadow the plane, a standard procedure for unidentified or foreign military aircraft operating in the ADIZ.
The Alaska ADIZ extends about 150 miles (241 kilometers) from US shores. While not sovereign airspace, foreign aircraft entering the zone are expected to identify themselves and maintain radio contact. US territorial airspace begins just 12 nautical miles (22 kilometers) from the coastline.
NORAD said its layered defense network—which relies on satellites, radars, and fighter jets—remains fully capable of tracking and responding to any potential aerial threat.
“NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America,” the command noted.
The intercepted aircraft, known by NATO as the “Coot,” is a Cold War–era Il-20 designed for signals and radar reconnaissance.
Despite being developed in the late 1960s, the aircraft remains in service with Russia’s Aerospace Forces, equipped with side-looking radar, cameras, and electronic intelligence gear.
Crewed by up to 13 personnel, the Il-20 continues to be used for long-range surveillance missions—including patrols along NATO borders.
Earlier, Russian Tu-95MS nuclear-capable bombers conducted a scheduled patrol over the Sea of Japan, accompanied by Su-35S and Su-30SM fighters.
