2 Russian nuclear bombers entered Alaska airspace, report says

Two nuclear-capable Russian bombers reportedly intruded into the U.S. air defense zone near Alaska last week.

The Washington Free Beacon, citing defense officials, reports the tu-95 Bear H bombers flew into the zone on April 22, but no U.S. jets were dispatched to intercept them.

Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a spokesman for NORAD, declined to confirm the incursion to The Times, but said that no jets were dispatched to intercept intruding aircraft.

The incident was the first Russian bomber incursion of a U.S. or Canadian air defense zone this year. It likely signals the start of Russia’s long-range aviation training cycle, officials said.

U.S. and Canadian jets intercepted Russian bombers at least six times last year, while intruding Russian long-range aircraft were detected on 10 occasions, Davis said.

Senior military officials have said that Russia has increased bomber flights near U.S. coasts as part of a strategic messaging and influence operation.

Northern Command commander Adm. William Gortney told reporters earlier this month that Russia is developing a more capable military than the former Soviet Union. Both flight missions and numbers of locations for the flights “have gone up,” Gortney said.

The latest bomber mission near Alaska was described as provocative and dangerous by the Pentagon. At that time, a U.S. RC-135 intercepted the bomber.
  foxnews.com
2/5/15
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• Pentagon Claims Russian Nuclear Bombers Invaded US Air Space Near Alaska 

The US Department of Defense has claimed that two Russian nuclear-capable bombers intruded into the US air defense zone near Alaska last week, according to the Washington Free Bacon website.
Two Russian nuclear-capable bombers intruded into the US air defense zone near Alaska last week, the Washington Free Bacon website quoted Pentagon officials as saying on Friday.

The Free Bacon reported that the Tu-95 Bear H bombers allegedly intruded into the Alaska zone on April 22.

However, no US interceptor jets scrambled to shadow the bombers, according to defense officials familiar with the situation.

A Russian embassy spokesman did not return an email seeking comment on the matter, the Free Bacon said.......http://sptnkne.ws/gZC 

 1/5/15