Nuclear-capable Russian bombers cruise through US ADIZ

Two F-15s from an undisclosed location were scrambled to intercept another pair of Tu-95 Bear bombers.

Just half an hour later another pair of Tu-95s were detected off the central coast of California and two F-15 Eagles were scrambled to intercept.

Four Russian long-range bombers flew so close to USA shores on the Fourth of July that USA military fighter jets were forced to intercept them.

A spokesman for NORAD would not confirm if either pair of bombers was armed.

The first incident occurred at 10:30 a.m. ET on July 4 off the coast of Alaska, Fox News is told.

Last year, two more long-range bombers flew within 50 miles of California.

“At no time did the bombers enter North American sovereign airspace”.

At no time did either pair of bombers enter USA airspace, 12 nautical miles off the coast, according to one defense official.

While intercepts of Russian aircraft off Alaska take place often, intercepts off California are significantly less frequent. The United States asks military aircraft from other countries operating in that space to recognize themselves and will make certain they’ve changed course away from United States shores before backing away.

“These long-range aviation excursions are duplicating exercises I experienced during the height of the Cold War when I commanded the Alaska NORAD region”, McInerney told the Free Beacon.

The incident occurred on the same day that Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a congratulatory message to U.S. President Barack Obama to mark Independence Day.

Although the Russian bombers did not breach the US airspace, the presence of the planes off the West Coast is deemed threatening amid increasing tensions between Moscow and Washington.