US intercepts Russian and Chinese bombers on first joint mission off Alaska

Flights reflect growing military and security cooperation between Moscow and Beijing.

Russian and Chinese warplanes were intercepted off the coast of Alaska by U.S. and Canadian fighters Wednesday, marking the first time strategic bombers from the two U.S. adversaries have operated together near North America, a U.S. official said.

Two Russian TU-95 Bear and two Chinese H-6 bombers flew into the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone, a buffer zone in international airspace, the North American Aerospace Defense Command said. The flights, which came as close as 200 miles off the Alaskan coast, were the most recent sign of growing military and security co-operation between Moscow and Beijing.

“It’s the first time that we’ve seen these two countries fly together like that [but] they didn’t enter our airspace,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters at a press conference Thursday.

The Russian and Chinese bombers all took off from a Russian air base, a development first reported by Air & Space Forces Magazine and confirmed by a second U.S. official.

Norad, a joint U.S. and Canadian command that protects against air threats to North America, said the Russian and Chinese planes didn’t enter U.S. or Canadian airspace and weren’t seen as a military threat.

The U.S. closely monitored and intercepted the aircraft, Austin said. The Russian and Chinese planes were intercepted by U. S. F-16s and F-35s as well as Canadian CF-18s. “Norad will continue to monitor competitor activity near North America and meet presence with presence,” the command said.

“It’s the first time that we’ve seen these two countries fly together like that [but] they didn’t enter our airspace,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters. Picture: Saul Loeb/AFP

The Pentagon chief said he is concerned about the evolving relationship between the two countries because Beijing is “providing support to Russia’s illegal and unnecessary war in Ukraine.” U.S. officials have described the relationship as largely transactional, but said they have no evidence that the two countries are planning military systems that can operate together or that they share defence aims. “We will see how this relationship develops,” Austin said.

In August last year, a combined Russian and Chinese naval force patrolled near the coast of Alaska in what experts said was the largest such flotilla to approach American shores.

Eleven Russian and Chinese ships steamed close to the Aleutian Islands. The ships, which were shadowed by U.S. destroyers and P-8 Poseidon aircraft, never entered U.S. territorial waters.

China has also bolstered Russia’s military industry by providing it with microelectronics, machine tools and other dual-use components, which have helped Moscow to produce more weapons for its invasion of Ukraine.

In 2023, some 90% of Russia’s microelectronics imports, critical for the production of missiles, tanks, and aircraft, were sent from China, according to U.S. officials.

China has also provided satellite imagery that Moscow has used for military operations. China has denied supplying weapons to Russia and says it strictly controls the trade of dual-use goods.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin meets with China's President Xi, ” U.S. officials have described the relationship as largely transactional. Picture: Sergei Guneyev/Pool/AFP

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, at its summit meeting in Washington earlier this month, called on Beijing “to cease all material and political support to Russia’s war effort.” Russia’s Defense Ministry said its aerospace forces and the Chinese air force had conducted a joint air patrol mission.

“An air group of the Tu-95MS strategic bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Hong-6K strategic bombers of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army air force conducted a joint air patrol over the Chukchi Sea, the Bering Sea and the northern part of the Pacific Ocean,” the Russian Defense Ministry said.

It added that the joint flight had lasted over five hours and that the bombers were escorted by Russian jet fighters. After completing the flight, the planes returned to their home airfields.

“The activity was carried out as part of the 2024 military co-operation plan and was not directed against third countries,” the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The Wall Street Journal