Two NORAD F-22 Raptors intercept two Russian aircraft that spent four hours inside the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone and came within 50 miles of the Aleutian island chain (9 Pics)

The North American Aerospace Defense Command said that it intercepted two Russian maritime patrol planes within 50 miles of Alaska late Wednesday. 

The Russian IL-38 maritime patrol aircraft were intercepted by two NORAD F-22 Raptors and a US Transportation Command KC-135 Stratotanker near Unimak Island, along Alaska's Aleutian island chain, military officials said Thursday.  

NORAD tweeted Thursday that the Russian aircraft entered the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone and spent about four hours in the area before exiting.  

+6

NORAD revealed that two F-22 Raptors (pictured, file image) participated in an intercept of Russian IL-38 maritime patrol aircraft Wednesday

+6

NORAD said the Russian IL-38 (file image) flew in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone for four hours before leaving 

NORAD said the Russian planes came within 50 miles of Alaska, but stayed in international airspace and did not enter US or Canada sovereign airspace

The Russian planes stayed within international airspace 'and at no time did the aircraft enter United States or Canadian sovereign airspace,' NORAD wrote. 

The incident marked the fifth time this month that such an intercept has taken place, Gen. Terrence J. O´Shaughnessy, commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, said in a release.   

'The mission assurance measures we are taking to protect our people ensure we are meeting the challenges and operating through the COVID-19 environment to defend our nations, just as NORAD forces have for more than 60 years,' O'Shaughnessy said.  

Most recently, on June 16 NORAD F-22s, KC-135 Stratotankers and E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System - aka an AWAC - were involved in two intercepts of Russian bomber formations entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone.    

+6

NORAD said that this was the fifth time in three weeks that Russian aircraft have had to be intercepted by NORAD after entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone

+6

The F-22 Raptors were accompanied by a Stratotanker during the intercept on Wednesday

+6

A US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker (file image) flew along with the F-22s during the intercept

+6

Previously, on June 16, NORAD F-22s and other planes carried out two intercepts of Russian bombers near Alaska. An F-22 is shown flying beneath a Russian Tu-95 bomber during one of the incidents that day

The first intercept involved a formation consisting of two Russian Tu-95 bombers, two Su-35 fighter jets and an A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft, which came within 20 nautical miles of Alaskan shores. 

Later in the day, the second intercept involved two Russian Tu-95 bombers supported by an A-50 that came within 32 nautical miles of the Alaska air defense zone. 

The Russian planes stayed in international space during both of those early June intercepts, as well.   

Capt. Cameron Hillier, a NORAD spokesperson, said this is the ninth such incident off Alaska or Canada this year. He said all the interactions are 'safe and professional.'

Since Russia resumed long-range aviation activities in 2007, there has been an average of around seven intercepts a year, though the number in any given year has been zero to 15, Hillier said.