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Northcom says Russian nuclear bombers violated U.S. airspace during arctic war games The U.S. Northern Command and joint U.S.-Canadian North American Aerospace Defense (NORAD) Command said two Russian bombers violated U.S. airspace near Alaska during recent arctic war games.Disclosure by the command in charge of U.S. homeland defense followed a report in the Free Beacon quoting U.S. officials who said the Russian aircraft had threatened U.S. air space but did not cross into it and were met over the Pacific by U.S. F-15 interceptor jets. “There was a single out-of-area patrol by two Russian
long range bombers which entered the Alaska...

In 2009, NORAD launched fighter aircraft on 14 occasions in response to unannounced flights of Russian Tu-95 Bear and Tu-160 Blackjack bombers that were in international airspace, but were close enough to US and Canadian airspace to warrant a closer look, Air Force Gen. Gene Renuart, NORAD boss, told the Senate Armed Services Committee Thursday in written testimony. He said they "were not considered threats," but it is NORAD's practice to dispatch fighters to identify any unknown aircraft in such scenarios. In response to a Senator's question during the hearing, Renuart said there have also been "a couple of instances"...

Shaw Air Force Base Airmen supporting the Operation Noble Eagle alert mission provide quick-reaction support to protect U.S. airspace and significant events like presidential movements and space shuttle launches. "We have to be ready if the alarm goes off at 2:30 in the morning," said Master Sgt. William Martin, the alert NCO in charge. "I want everything to be ingrained in (the Airmen) so they can get the mission done." Recently, the alert Airmen were tested by Exercise Fertile Keynote. The exercise was conducted by officials from the 20th Fighter Wing plans and inspections to prepare for an upcoming inspection...