Incident In Alaska ADIZ “Dangerous And Unprofessional”

An Air Force F-16 conducting a routine intercept of a Russian Tu-95 off the coast of Alaska and within the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) was cut off by a very close “headbutt” maneuver by a Su-35 fighter.

Video and still images show the dramatic incident in what the Air Force called an unsafe encounter and that the Russian aviator’s actions were “unprofessional and endangered all.”

The pilot of the F-16 had a video camera mounted inside the aircraft and he can be heard making a sound of surprise and took evasive action to avoid a collision. The Su-35 Flanker appeared to pass well within 100 feet of the nose of the F-16.

Intercepts of Russian and Chinese aircraft occur routinely within the Alaska ADIZ and almost always they are safely flown by both pilots and are relatively brief in duration. This one was different.

NORAD commander Air Force Gen. Gregory M. Guillot said in a statement posted on social media: “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.”

“We’re postured well to respond when those forces come into the Air Defense Identification Zone of Alaska, and you’ve seen that play out,” said Air Force Lt. Gen. Case Cunningham, the head of the Alaskan NORAD Region, Alaskan Command, and the 11th Air Force.

FMI: www.norad.mil