The first contact occurred at the 10.30 of the July 4 off the coast of Alaska. Two F-22s took off from the Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska to intercept the two long-range TU-95 long-range bombers.
The second contact occurred at 11, off the central coast of California. Two F-15s taken off an unknown location, probably an unofficially declared base, flanked two other Tu-95 Bear bombers.
From NORAD they did not confirm if the bombers were armed. At no time did the Russian bombers breach US airspace, remaining at 12 nautical miles from the coast.
A small curiosity also emerges. Just as the Russian bombers probed the defense capabilities of the west coast of the United States, Russian President Vladimir Putin was talking on the phone with President Obama to wish him a happy 4 July.
A similar incident was held on the 4 July of the 2013.
Franco Iacch
