What You Need to Know: In late September 2024, a Russian Su-35 fighter jet conducted an "unsafe" and "unprofessional" maneuver near a U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon within the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

-The incident occurred as the Su-35 escorted a Russian Tu-95MS strategic bomber. NORAD released video footage showing the close encounter, prompting criticism from U.S. officials like Senator Dan Sullivan, who condemned the Russian pilot's actions as reckless and escalating aggression.

-While the Kremlin has not officially commented, a Russian propagandist known as "Fighterbomber" praised the Su-35 pilot's "extreme courage." The event underscores rising tensions and previous incidents of unsafe interactions between Russian and U.S. military aircraft.

Russia Responds to Claims of Aerial Close Call with U.S. F-16

The Kremlin has responded to claims by the United States that a Russian fighter jet conducted an "unsafe" or "unprofessional" passing within just feet of a U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon near Alaska last month.

Yesterday, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) released a video recorded last month showing exactly how close a Russian Aerospace Force's Sukhoi Su-35 (NATO reporting name Flanker E/M) came to the American Fighting Falcon. The incident occurred within the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), which extends beyond U.S. sovereign airspace. The Su-35 was escorting a Russian Tupolev Tu-95MS (NATO reporting name Bear) long-range strategic bomber.

"'On Sept 23, 2024, NORAD aircraft flew a safe and disciplined intercept of Russian Military Aircraft in the Alaska ADIZ.  The conduct of one Russian Su-35 was unsafe, unprofessional, and endangered all – not what you’d see in a professional air force.' – Gen. Gregory Guillot," NORAD announced on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Russia has increasingly conducted flights over the neutral waters off the coast of Alaska, but the incident also came just two months after Russian and Chinese aircraft also flew together for the first time near ADIZ during joint exercises.

U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, responded to the Russian fighter pilot's action in a statement to the Associated Press.

"The reckless and unprofessional maneuvers of Russian fighter pilots ­ within just a few feet of our Alaska-based fighters ­ in Alaska's ADIZ on September 23 put the lives of our brave Airmen at risk and underscore the escalating aggression we're witnessing from dictators like Vladimir Putin," said Sullivan.

Russian Propagandists Respond

Although the Kremlin has not commented on the close encounter of the jet fighters, the Russian propagandist who runs the Fighterbomber channel on the Telegram social messaging platform did offer his thoughts. Reported to be a former Russian Aerospace Forces pilot, he suggested the aviator in the Su-35 showed "extreme courage."

According to a report on state media outlet Tass, the Su-35 responded to the F-16 getting "too close" to the Tu-95MS bomber.

"The maneuver by the escorting jet caused a 'vow effect at the Pentagon," the state media outlet suggested.

"It's not so much about professionalism as the extreme courage of our fighter jet pilot who, being hundreds of kilometers from our coast and over the open ocean, boldly and audaciously shows who rules the roost," Fighterbomber told Tass.

Russian pilots have been accused of engaging in reckless actions in the past, including in a March 2023 incident over the Black Sea, in which a Sukhoi Su-27 (NATO reporting name Flanker) released fuel onto an American MQ-9 surveillance drone, which led to a collision and caused the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to crash.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

Image Credit: Screenshot/Video released by U.S. military.