Russia and China to test US air defenses in Alaska

Chinese and Russian bombers flew together into a U.S. air defense zone in Alaska on July 24, prompting U.S. and Canadian forces to intercept and escort them.

The clash does not pose a threat of serious escalation, but it is a reminder of China's expanding air power, The Telegraph reports, and highlights the high stakes as the Americans rush to develop countermeasures.

When two Chinese Xi-an H-6 bombers and two Russian Tu-95 bombers flew into Alaska's air defense zone on July 24, U.S. and Canadian Air Force fighter jets scrambled to meet them.

The publication noted that interceptions of Russian aircraft are commonplace. Interceptions of Chinese aircraft are rarer, and for a very simple reason. When it comes to long-range aviation, the PLAAF is decades behind the Russian or US Air Force.

As the publication noted, as Chinese bombers improve, they are flying farther and more frequently into the Pacific Ocean. It is no secret that these long-range sorties are training for war. "If China ever makes good on decades of threats to invade Taiwan, and the U.S. comes to Taiwan's aid, expect Chinese bombers to target U.S. Navy carrier groups at sea, and potentially U.S. Air Force bases throughout the Pacific," the publication wrote.

"Stopping these bombers will be the top priority for American fighter pilots protecting the US fleet and bases," the publication concluded. On August 4, it was reported that the North American Aerospace Defense Command detected and tracked four Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone.

"The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter U.S. or Canadian sovereign airspace. Russian activity in the Alaskan air defense zone occurs regularly and is not considered a threat," the statement said.