For the first time, Chinese H-6 aircraft flew in the international airspace but near Alaska, alongside Russian Tu-95 Bear bombers. Two H-6 aircraft and two Russian Tu-95 Bear bombers passed into a part of Alaska's Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ). This is the first time Chinese H-6s have flown in this region of the world. According to an official press release, the United States-Canadian North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) "detected, tracked, and intercepted two Russian TU-95 and two PRC H-6 military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) on July 24, 2024." The release does not specify what kind of H-6s were intercepted.
The H-6 family includes variants, including missile carrier aircraft, aerial refuelling tankers, and more specialised types designed to carry outsized weapons or other payloads. It is also worth noting that official U.S. releases sometimes misidentify Russian Tu-142 Bear maritime patrol aircraft as Tu-95 bombers. "The Russian and PRC aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace," according to NORAD's report.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia's claim over Alaska last summer. TurDef believes that Russia's claims are related to the Arctic maritime route, which will create a shorter and new trade route between China and the Netherlands. The joint Russian-Chinese air patrol might be a new sign of regional tension.
