Pentagon considered stopping intercepts of Russian aircraft

The Pentagon considered, and then rejected, the idea of stopping routine intercepts of Russian military aircraft flying off the coast of Alaska, because the U.S. intercept flights appeared to have limited deterrent or intelligence value, according to two U.S. defense officials. While the Russian military flights, usually bomber aircraft, were entering a U.S. "air defense identification zone," they were not entering U.S. airspace.

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