Senator calls for more military in Alaska after NORAD detects Russian aircraft near US airspace

Alaska Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan on Wednesday called for a stronger military presence in his home state after the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected a Russian plane near Alaskan airspace.

NORAD said the plane was flying in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Tuesday, and did not actually penetrate United States sovereign airspace. The military confirmed the aircraft was Russian after sending an E-3 aircraft, two F-16s, and one KC-135 tanker to positively identify it. 

Sullivan said the incident marked the fifth detection of a Russian surveillance plane, but the military has only confirmed four Russian aircrafts in Alaskan ADIZ in the last week. 

"Alaska is on the frontlines: We must strengthen our military with Alaska as the cornerstone," the senator wrote on X. "From the Golden Dome missile defense system and reopening Naval Base Adak to jumpstarting shipbuilding and historic investments in our Coast Guard, the [One Big Beautiful Bill] delivers."

NORAD documented other encounters with Russian aircrafts last Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. They said such activity by the Russians in the Alaskan ADIZ is a regular occurrence and is not seen as a threat.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.