Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) intercepted two Russian TU-95 and two Chinese H-6 military planes in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on July 24, 2024. The "identification zone" is a part of international airspace that acts as a buffer zone where the U.S. and Canadian national airspace ends. All aircraft entering the ADIZ require identification for national security reasons, NORAD said.