The U.S. military is slamming Russia for an “unsafe” encounter in the skies off the coast of Alaska after footage released Monday shows a Kremlin fighter jet cutting off an Air Force F-16.
The incident, which took place Sept. 23, involved a Russian Su-35 fighter flying in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) in international airspace where the F-16 was sent to intercept it.
The F-16, which was assigned to North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), was initially shadowing a different Russian aircraft before the Su-35 sharply cut in front of it, coming within feet of the American fighter jet.
In the video, the F-16 pilot can be heard exclaiming in surprise as the Russia fighter jumps in front of them.
“NORAD aircraft flew a safe and disciplined intercept of Russian Military Aircraft in the Alaska ADIZ,” NORAD head Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot said in a statement posted to X . “The conduct of one Russian Su-35 was unsafe, unprofessional, and endangered all – not what you’d see in a professional air force.”