Russian fighter jet flies within feet of US F-16 in Alaska: Video

The U.S. military has released new video showing a Russian fighter jet flying dangerously close to a U.S. Air Force F-16 during an intercept mission near Alaska. The footage, captured on Sept. 23, shows a Russian Su-35 fighter jet swooping just feet from the U.S. aircraft, an encounter military officials have described as “unsafe and unprofessional.”

The incident occurred in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone, a region just beyond U.S. sovereign airspace where approaching aircraft are monitored.

Gen. Gregory Guillot, commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command, condemned the Russian pilot’s actions, stating the maneuver endangered everyone involved.

Guillot added that the U.S. F-16 pilots followed safe and disciplined procedures during the interception.

While Russian officials have not responded to the incident, this is the latest in a series of military encounters between U.S. and Russian forces near Alaska.

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These encounters have drawn increasing attention as Russia steps up its military activities in the region. Just weeks before, Russian planes and naval vessels, including submarines, were spotted near Alaska during joint exercises with China.

Although none of the Russian aircraft entered U.S. airspace, the frequency of these incursions has raised concerns among U.S. officials.

In response, about 130 U.S. soldiers and mobile rocket launchers were temporarily deployed to Shemya Island in the Aleutian chain earlier this year.

Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan, R, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, criticized the Russian jet’s maneuver, calling it reckless and unprofessional.

He urged for an increased U.S. military presence in Alaska and the arctic as a deterrent to growing Russian aggression in the region.