Russia Sent Il-20 Reconnaissance Aircraft to Alaska Twice: August 20th and August 21st

For two days in a row, Russia conducted electronic and optical reconnaissance of Alaska using an Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft.

The announcement of the interception of the Russian aircraft was published by the North American Aerospace Defense Command on August 20th and 21st.

On August 20th and 21st, 2025, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected and tracked one Il-20 aircraft operating in Alaska’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

The ADIZ begins where sovereign airspace ends and is a designated area of international airspace that requires rapid identification of all aircraft in the interest of national security.

In response, two F-16s were dispatched for interception, visual identification and surveillance, supported by a KC-135 refueling aircraft and an AWACS E-3.

The Russian warplanes reportedly remained in international airspace and did not enter the sovereign airspace of the United States or Canada.

“Such Russian activity in the Alaskan ADIZ occurs regularly and is not considered a threat,” the command said.

Il-20

The reconnaissance aircraft based on the Il-18D was created in the late 60s of the XX century and was named the Il-20. The main means of reconnaissance on this aircraft was the Igla side-view radar station.

In addition to the Igla-1 radar itself, the Il-20 aircraft was equipped with radio and photo reconnaissance equipment. The complex was able to obtain a detailed radar image, close in quality to aerial photography, but in any weather conditions, and, in addition, to conduct radio reconnaissance and aerial photography.

In the lower part of the fuselage behind the wing, antennas of the Kvadrat detailed radio reconnaissance station were installed, which, unlike the Rhombus system, allowed obtaining more detailed information about detected radio emission objects. Antennas of the Vishnya system for intercepting open radio communications on the air were located above the front of the fuselage.

In 1970, the Il-20M was developed, which received updated electronic equipment.

Russia also uses aircraft of this type for reconnaissance in the Baltic region, where they are intercepted and escorted by European aircraft.