Norad fighters monitor Russian flights, F-16s Land in Greenland

The US Air Force F-35S and Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18S carried out combat air patrols in response to Russian military aircraft operating in Arctic early this week, North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad) said News message January 30.

Norad also said it sent two US Air Force F-16s from Alaska to Greenland, “exerted its standard agreement with Greenland to forward attitude Norad presence in the Arctic.”

The Russian aircraft operated in international airspace and did not enter the Alaskan or Canadian air defense identification zones or sovereign airspace, Norad said in its release. The command did not identify the type of Russian aircraft, with a spokesman who cited “operational security” problems, but Norad indicated that they were not seen as a threat.

“During his mission to maintain extensive domain consciousness in the Arctic, Norad launched a fighting air patrol from his Canadian Norad -Region (Canr) to the northern region of Canada, and an air patrol from his Alaskan Norad -Region (ANR) off the coast of the Alaska/Yukon border to further track the activity, ”Norad said of the Russian aircraft.

The patrols took place on January 28, a Norad spokesman told Air & Space Forces Magazine. The Canadian patrol included two Canadian CF-18s and a KC-135 refueling of aircraft, and the US patrol consisted of two US F-35s, an E-3 Guard Mail Awac’s airborne warning and command and control aircraft and two kc -135s.

On January 28, an F-35 crashed at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. The pilot exposed from the F-35 was taken to a local military hospital and has been released. The incident was not related to the Norad activity that took place on the same day, a spokesman for the command said.

Norad did not specify where in Greenland the F-16s are deployed, but the territory hosts the northernmost US military installation, Pituffik Space Base, a gaming power missila warning and satellite control. Pituffik Space Base, formerly known as Thule Air Base, dates back to the 1950s when it was established as a strategic air command during the Cold War before passing to his early warning missilming. Four Air Force F-35S deployed to Greenland in January 2023.

President Donald Trump has said he wants to buy Greenland from Denmark because of its strategic significance in the Arctic. Denmark has rejected this request.

“Norad employs a layered defense network of satellites, terrestrial and airborne radars and fighter jets to detect and track aircraft and inform appropriate actions. Norad remains ready to hire a series of response options for defense of North America, ”the command added in his latest statement.