Fighter jets were scrambled to intercept two Russian Tu-142 maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft close to Japanese airspace, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said.
Officials say incident involving Tu-142 maritime reconnaissance airplanes took place in international waters on Thursday 3 November in the Sea of Japan.
According to the information headquarters of the Japan self-defense forces to intercept a Russian Tu-142 in the sky were raised two fighters.
The Tu-142M is a long-range anti-submarine / reconnaissance aircraft designed by the Tupolev Design Bureau and manufactured by the Kuibyshev Aviation and Taganrog Machinery plants. The aircraft is developed to provide improved naval combat capabilities. It can be deployed primarily in anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations, maritime reconnaissance and low-range patrol runs.