NORAD scrambled U.S. Air Pressure F-16s to intercept Russian Il-20 surveillance plane 3 times within the Alaskan ADIZ in lower than one week.
The North American Aerospace Protection Command (NORAD) reported three separate intercepts of Russian Il-20 “Coot” surveillance plane working contained in the Alaskan Air Protection Identification Zone (ADIZ) between Aug. 20 and Aug. 24, 2025. Whereas such intercepts should not unusual, the frequency of three inside a five-day span has drawn consideration, notably amid heightened geopolitical tensions and main U.S.-led navy workout routines within the area, comparable to Northern Edge 2025.
The consecutive encounters additionally got here simply few days after the assembly between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Aug. 15 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. As in different events, the Russian plane remained in worldwide airspace with out violating the airspace of the US or Canada.
Based on NORAD press releases, every of the three flights was detected and monitored by NORAD’s layered protection system, which employs satellites, airborne and ground-based radars, and fighter plane to offer steady airspace consciousness. Along with F-16s, NORAD additionally scrambled a assist bundle of KC-135 tankers and E-3 AWACS plane.
CACHE 50 (E-3 AWACS) launched from Elmendorf AFB simply after 2000z this afternoon and was final seen approaching the Chukchi Sea about 40 minutes in the past. Seems to be like one other Ru AF flight skirting the ADIZ right now.
Audio by way of @liveatc and monitoring by way of @flightradar24 pic.twitter.com/W4l4iWwKQF
— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) August 25, 2025
The Alaskan ADIZ and NORAD’s Function
An Air Protection Identification Zone, or ADIZ, is a stretch of worldwide airspace past nationwide sovereign territory wherein the prepared identification of all plane is required for nationwide safety functions. The Alaskan ADIZ borders the Russian easternmost area, making it one of many busiest zones for U.S. and allied air protection forces.
Not like nationwide airspace, which is sovereign and extends 12 nautical miles past a rustic’s coast, ADIZs should not sure by worldwide legislation however are crucial for nationwide safety. Any plane coming into with out correct clearance is topic to interception by fighter plane on Fast Response Alert (QRA).
NORAD, the bi-national U.S.-Canadian command headquartered at Peterson Area Pressure Base, Colorado, is tasked with defending North America’s airspace. The command recurrently displays Russian long-range aviation flights, together with Tu-95 bombers and fighter escorts, however the latest collection of Il-20 flights represents a comparatively rarer look of Russian digital intelligence-gathering plane within the area.
Aug. 20 Intercept
On Aug. 20, 2025, NORAD detected and tracked a Russian Il-20 working within the Alaskan ADIZ, in response to an official press launch. In response, NORAD launched two F-16 Combating Falcons supported by a KC-135 Stratotanker from Eielson Air Pressure Base, Alaska. The U.S. fighters intercepted and visually recognized the Russian surveillance aircraft earlier than escorting it till it exited the ADIZ.
The plane remained solely in worldwide airspace and didn’t cross into U.S. or Canadian sovereign territory, confirmed NORAD. Based on a press release launched by NORAD to Air & Area Forces Journal, the Il-20 flew contained in the ADIZ for roughly one hour and 12 minutes at a distance of round 25 nautical miles from Alaska’s St. Lawrence Island, situated south of the Bering Strait and fewer than 50 miles from Russian territory.
NORAD reiterated that the flight was “not seen as a menace,” emphasizing that such exercise happens recurrently and is in line with long-standing Russian aerial patrol patterns. Opposite to different events, there have been no reviews of “unprofessional conduct” by the Russian plane.
Aug. 21 Intercept
Roughly 24 hours later, on Aug. 21, NORAD once more tracked an Il-20 working within the ADIZ. This time, NORAD scrambled two F-16s, a KC-135 tanker, and an E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Management System (AWACS) plane to intercept, visually determine, and monitor the Russian aircraft. It isn’t unusual for an AWACS to be despatched out in assist of a QRA mission, as they will add one other layer of surveillance to observe the state of affairs.
The Aug. 21 incursion lasted longer than the day gone by’s flight. In truth, in response to Air & Area Forces Journal, this time the Il-20 remained within the ADIZ for over two hours, with its closest method roughly 100 miles from Cape Lisburne, the northernmost level of Alaska.
Like the sooner incident, the plane by no means entered U.S. or Canadian sovereign airspace. Equally, no incidents have been famous in the course of the interplay between the U.S. and Russian plane.
Aug. 24 Intercept
The third and most up-to-date intercept occurred on Aug. 24, when NORAD tracked but once more an Il-20 within the Alaskan ADIZ. On this case, two F-16s, an E-3 AWACS, and two KC-135 Stratotankers have been launched to observe and visually determine the plane.
The Il-20 once more remained in worldwide airspace all through the mission. NORAD famous in its press launch that the Russian plane’s presence within the ADIZ was in line with routine operations and posed no rapid menace.
Nevertheless, the timing of the three incidents – occurring inside 5 days – stands out in comparison with the same old tempo of Russian flights within the area. Earlier than this week, the final reported interception was in July 2025.
A official doubt, after the three intercepts, is that if the Russian Il-20 was all the time the identical airframe. Nevertheless, NORAD didn’t present particulars on that, and the absence of photographs doesn’t enable to independently confirm it.
The Il-20
The intercepted plane in all three incidents was the Ilyushin Il-20, identified by its NATO reporting identify “Coot.” Not like the Tu-95 strategic bombers which might be extra often intercepted close to Alaska, the Il-20 is a specialised reconnaissance and digital intelligence (ELINT) platform.
Geared up with an array of antennas, sensors, and indicators intelligence gear, the Il-20 is designed to collect digital and communications intelligence. The kind has been employed in numerous theaters, together with Syria, the place Russian Il-20s supported navy operations and one was unintentionally shot down by Syrian air defenses in 2018.
The looks of the Il-20 within the Alaskan ADIZ is much less widespread than bomber flights and should replicate ongoing intelligence-gathering missions amid broader geopolitical developments. As talked about earlier, the Northern Edge 2025 train is presently ongoing and that may be a hard-to-pass goal for information assortment.
Workouts and Diplomacy
The collection of intercepts coincided with large-scale U.S.-led navy workout routines in Alaska. Northern Edge, involving some 6,400 personnel, 100 plane, and 7 ships – together with the service USS Abraham Lincoln – was underway within the area on the identical time. Whereas NORAD didn’t affirm whether or not Russian plane have been surveilling the train, the proximity in timing is notable.
As talked about within the opening, the flights additionally occurred days after a summit at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, throughout which the leaders mentioned the warfare in Ukraine. Though no adjustments in navy posture have been introduced, the back-to-back Il-20 flights are uncommon for the area.
Additionally, whereas NORAD emphasised in every assertion that the Russian flights posed no menace and remained solely inside worldwide airspace, their frequency illustrates the continued significance of the Alaskan ADIZ as a focus of U.S.-Russian navy interplay. Such encounters are seen as each intelligence-gathering alternatives and demonstrations of strategic presence.
For NORAD, the incidents spotlight the significance of readiness. With F-16s and F-35s at Eielson AFB and F-22 Raptors stationed at JBER, U.S. and Canadian forces preserve the flexibility to quickly reply to incursions within the ADIZ as a part of their mission to defend North American airspace. The significance of this facet will be additionally seen by the redesignation of the 18th Aggressor Squadron as 18th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, with the F-16s now taking an even bigger function within the air protection of Alaska.
