Austin says Chinese and Russian aircraft near Alaska spotted for first time in joint flight

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Thursday that the joint flight of Chinese and Russian aircraft near Alaskan airspace a day earlier was the “first time” the U.S. had detected a joint flight between the two nations. .

Austin, speaking at a Pentagon press conference, said it was “not a surprise” to detect the Russian and Chinese aircraft because the forces had extensively tracked and monitored the flight, but noted it was unprecedented.

“This is the first time we have seen these two countries fly together in this way,” he said, adding that the flight was potentially a test. “They are always testing us and this is no surprise to any of us.”

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said on Wednesday that it detected two Russian TU-95 and two Chinese H-6 strategic bombers operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone, which is an international zone but where nations seek to identify who is flying. in the area.

After detection, US jets intercepted the four Chinese and Russian military aircraft, according to NORAD.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the patrol was not directed at other countries and that the aircrews “practiced cooperation while carrying out an air patrol mission in a new area” in the Chukchi Sea, the Bering Sea and the northern part of the Ocean. Pacific.

“Foreign fighters escorted the air group on certain stages of the route. During the execution of the mission, aircraft from both countries acted in strict accordance with international law,” the ministry said. said in a statement shared by Russian state news agency TASS. “There were no violations of other countries’ airspace.”

Austin said the Chinese and Russian aircraft did not enter U.S. airspace and were at the closest point, about 200 miles off the American coast. But the joint flight highlighted growing cooperation between Russia and China.

“This is a relationship that concerns us, particularly as we are concerned about China’s support for Russia’s illegal and unnecessary war in Ukraine,” Austin said.

China has been accused of providing Russia with non-lethal technology that Moscow used to support the war in Ukraine.

Earlier this month, the Western security alliance NATO said in an official statement that China was a “decisive facilitator” of Russia’s war in Ukraine, in the strongest language yet to accuse Beijing.

China and Russia have also held joint maritime exercises around the world, including in the Arctic, where the US is pushing to challenge their presence.

Austin said that no matter what message Beijing and Moscow tried to send, U.S. troops would “always be ready.”

“We will defend this nation,” he said. “If there is a challenge or a threat to the United States of America, your troops will be prepared.”

This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story