Russian Su-35 unsafe and unprofessional maneuver while intercepting USAF F-16
As the video in this post released by US Department of Defense shows, on Sep. 23, 2024, a US Air Force (USAF) F-16 operating under the direction of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), was conducting a routine intercept of a Russian Tu-95 aircraft in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) when a Russian Su-35 aircraft conducted an unsafe maneuver directed at the F-16.
Gen. Gregory Guillot, Commander, NORAD and US Northern Command, spoke on the event, stating: “On Monday (Sept. 23), NORAD aircraft flew a safe and disciplined intercept of Russian military aircraft in the Alaskan ADIZ. The conduct of one Russian Su-35 was unsafe, unprofessional, and endangered all – not what you’d see in a professional air force.”
As reported by BulgarianMilitary.com, four Russian military aircraft, including Tupolev Tu-95 bombers, were detected in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone on Sep. 23, 2024.
As the footage shows a US Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jet had been dispatched to shadow the Russian Tu-95 turboprop bomber, a process the joint US-Canadian NORAD describes as “routine”.
These actions were part of Operation Noble Eagle, aimed at ensuring air sovereignty and defense of North America.
However, a Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter roared past the F-16 apparently without warning – passing within a few feet of the Viper – during the intercept of the Tupolev bomber.
Ocean-2024
According to Flight Global, as the US DoD video shows, the Su-35 blasts into frame from the F-16’s left side, cutting hard across the American aircraft’s nose as the Viper trails the Tu-95 off the bomber’s right wing, matching course and speed.
Before leveling off ahead of the F-16, the Flanker maneuvers aggressively, holding a nearly 90° banking turn, with its cockpit and vertical stabilisers oriented toward the Viper.
The USAF F-16 pilot utters an indecipherable expletive, quickly pulling away and to the right when the Su-35 appears.
No injuries or equipment damage have been reported from the incident.
It looks like this event is tied to the “Ocean-2024” military exercises. Ocean 2024 featured not only Russian Navy’s Northern and Baltic fleets and the Caspian flotilla but also ships of the People’s Liberation Army Navy and People’s Liberation Army Air Force aircraft.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense the drill featured more than 400 warships, submarines and support vessels, over 120 naval aircraft and more than 90,000 personnel. The exercise is the most important operational and combat training events of the Russian Armed Forces in 2024.
“The Ocean 2024 strategic command post exercise is aimed at checking the readiness of the senior staff of the Russian Navy to operate all-arms groups of forces in the areas of responsibility, to solve non-standard operational tasks, to make full use of high-precision weapons, advanced and modern weapons and military hardware in the practical part of the exercise, and to expand cooperation with the navies of partner countries to perform joint maritime missions,” reads the MoD release available to read on USNI News.
Military confrontations between Russian and western fighters
Noteworthy the history of military confrontations between Russian and western fighters is both long and intricate. For instance, during a routine operation in international airspace on Jun. 12, 2021, a Russian Su-27 fighter jet executed a perilous maneuver near a British fighter jet.
In 2016 a Russian Su-24 fighter jet dangerously approached an American F-15, executing aggressive maneuvers over the Black Sea. Then in 2020 a Russian Su-30 fighter jet pursued an American F-22 fighter jet over the Mediterranean Sea, sparking diplomatic protests from the US.
Department of Defense video
