U.S., Canadian fighter planes scramble to escort Russian jets
Military authorities say U.S. Air Force and Canadian fighter jets were scrambled to escort two Russian bombers that were traveling in the Arctic region near the North American coastline.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command says two F-22 and two CF-18 fighter jets identified two Russian Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers that were entering an area patrolled by the Royal Canadian Air Force the morning of Jan. 26.
There were no reports of conflict between the Russian and the U.S. and Canadian jets.
NORAD says it uses radar, satellites and fighter aircraft to patrol the skies and monitor aircraft entering U.S. or Canadian airspace.
“NORAD’s top priority is defending Canada and the United States. Our ability to protect our nations starts with successfully detecting, tracking, and positively identifying aircraft of interest approaching U.S. and Canadian airspace,” General Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy, the NORAD commander, said in a statement. AP
Sweden: Russian military planes briefly violated airspace
The Swedish military says a Russian reconnaissance plane escorted by two Russian fighter jets briefly violated Sweden’s air space on the country’s Baltic Sea coast.
The Swedish Armed Forces said Jan. 24 that the IL 20 plane and two Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker aircraft flew Jan. 19 south of the southern Sweden town of Karlshamn, some 84 miles northeast of the coastal city of Malmo.
The military said in a statement that the planes entered Swedish airspace without permission, and the episode had been reported to the Swedish government.
The incident comes at a time of growing military activity in the Baltic Sea region, with several reports of airspace violations by Russian military aircraft and an increased presence of Russian military vessels.
There was no immediate comment from Russia. AP
U.S. no longer announcing deaths, damage in Somalia airstrikes
The U.S. military says it has carried out two new airstrikes in Somalia against the al-Shabab extremist group but will no longer give details on fighters killed or damage done.
A spokesman for the U.S. Africa Command says those details are now up to Somalia’s government to share.
On Jan. 19 the U.S. announced its deadliest airstrike in Somalia in months, killing 52 of the al Qaeda-linked extremists after a “large group” mounted an attack on Somali forces.
The new U.S. statement says the latest airstrikes occurred on Jan. 23 near Jilib in Middle Juba region, where the Jan. 19 strike occurred.
The United States has dramatically stepped up airstrikes against al-Shabab in Somalia since President Donald Trump took office, carrying out at least 47 last year to diminish the Islamic extremist group’s “safe havens.” AP
U.S. Navy denies claims linked to contaminated water
The U.S. Navy secretary says he is denying thousands of claims from veterans and their families who were exposed to contaminated drinking water decades ago at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
Secretary Richard Spencer says at least 4,400 claims totaling $963 billion are being denied because there is no legal basis for paying them. He says it was a difficult decision but suggested that claimants can go to Capitol Hill to seek legislation providing restitution.
The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that as many as 900,000 service members were potentially exposed to tainted water at the base between 1953 and 1987.
The VA decided in 2017 that eligible veterans stationed at Lejeune during that time could receive government disability benefits. The agency estimated it would cost about $2.2 billion over five years. AP