Canada intercepts two Russian bombers AP

TORONTO Fighter jets were scrambled to intercept two Russian bombers in the Arctic as they approached Canadian airspace on the eve of a visit from Canadas prime minister who will observe an Arctic military exercise, a spokesman for the prime minister said Wednesday.

Dimitri Soudas, Stephen Harpers director of communications, said two Canadian CF-18 jets shadowed a pair of Russian TU-95 Bear jets in international airspace on Tuesday.

Soudas said the bombers flew within 30 miles 50 kilometers of Canadian soil. They were first spotted approximately 120 nautical miles north of Inuvik, Northwest Territories.

Thanks to the rapid response of the Canadian Forces, at no time did the Russian aircraft enter sovereign Canadian airspace, Soudas said in an e-mail.

Soudas warned that the North American Aerospace Defense Command, a joint U.S. and Canadian agency, carefully monitors all air activities in the North and considers all options to protect the air sovereignty of Canada and the United States.

Harper is due to observe an annual military exercise in the Canadian Arctic on Wednesday. Soudas said Harper was briefed during and at the conclusion of the intercept mission. He said the Canadian jets returned to base without incident.

Canada has linked recent Russian flights in the area to the competition between Canada, Russia, the U.S. and other countries to secure Arctic resources. With polar ice melting there are new opportunities to exploit the regions oil, gas and mineral reserves.

Two Russian bombers were intercepted last month off Canadas East Coast near the Arctic and in February 2009, fighter jets scrambled to intercept a Russian bomber in the Arctic as it approached Canadian airspace on the eve of President Barack Obamas visit to Ottawa. The Russians said then the plane never encroached on Canadian airspace and that Canada had been told about the flight beforehand. Canadas defense minister said Russia gives no warning prior to the flight, despite Canadas request for Russia to do so.

Harper has made the Arctic a priority by making annual trips and pledging to increase Canadas military presence.

Soviet aircraft regularly flew near North American airspace during the Cold War but stopped after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Several years ago, Russian jets resumed these types of flights.

Soudas noted Canadas recent purchase of 65 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets from U.S. aerospace giant Lockheed Martin Corp. The $8.5 billion purchase, one of the biggest military equipment purchases in the countrys history, is due to be debated at parliamentary defense committee on Wednesday. The jets will replace the Air Forces aging fleet of CF-18s.

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