The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) released a video of the moment a Russian plane came dangerously close to a US F-16 in airspace off the coast of Alaska last week.
A US senator from Alaska later said the Russian plane came “within just a few feet” of the US plane.
video, Released on MondayThe Russian plane is shown flying behind the American fighter plane and making a buzzing sound from its nose. It appears that the American pilot veered off the road by surprise.
Gen. Gregory Guillot, NORAD’s commander, called the operation “unsafe” and “unprofessional,” and said the pilot of the Russian Su-35 “endangered all parties involved.”
The accident occurred on September 23 when NORAD says Four Russian military aircraft were detected and tracked in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). The area acts as a buffer zone between US territory and Russia, although it is technically international airspace. NORAD requires aircraft traveling through the Alaska Air Defense Area to identify themselves and their planned route.
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The US Air Force F-16 in the video was deployed by NORAD to intercept the Russian plane on September 23, leading to a stunning standoff.
NORAD stated in a press release that the Russian aircraft “remained in international airspace and did not enter US or Canadian sovereign airspace.”
“This Russian activity in the Alaska Air Defense Zone occurs regularly and is not viewed as a threat,” the US-Canadian bilateral defense force added.
However, the pace of Russian aircraft entering the Alaska air defense zone appears to be increasing. NORAD said CBS News In previous years, the average number of Russian aircraft entering the region was about six or seven. Last year there were 26 cases. This year there have been 25, so far.
US Senator Dan Sullivan criticized the actions of the Russian pilot in the video and called on the United States to increase its military presence in Alaska.
“The reckless and unprofessional maneuvers by Russian fighter pilots – just a few feet away from our Alaska-based fighters – in the Alaska air defense zone on September 23, put the lives of our brave pilots in danger and highlights the escalating aggression we are seeing from tyrants like Vladimir Putin.” Sullivan said Monday.
“These tactics stand in stark contrast to the skill and discipline of our service members stationed in Alaska who are on the front lines all the time in defense of our entire country,” Sullivan added.
The Republican senator said the United States must “respond to force with force” and continue investing in military assets in Alaska and the Arctic, “such as the strategic Arctic port at Nome and the reopening of the ADAC Naval Air Facility.”
Before the September 23 standoff, Russian military aircraft were detected in the Alaska air defense zone four times in less than a week: in September 11, September 13, September 14 and September 15.
On September 16, The US Coast Guard said it tracked four Russian military ships Which passed through the exclusive economic zone of the United States off the coast of Alaska. The two submarines, the frigate and the tugboat were assessed to be avoiding sea ice on the Russian side of the border and operating in accordance with international rules.
Global News has reached out to Canada’s Department of National Defense for comment. This article will be updated with the agency’s response.
Last year, a Chinese military plane intercepted a Canadian Armed Forces plane, flying within a few meters of the plane’s wing while a Global News reporter was on board. The accident occurred in international airspace off the coast of China.
Major General. Ian Huddleston described the display as “extremely aggressive” and “unsafe and unprofessional”.
“It’s an escalation of aggression that is really unexpected and unnecessary in the context of the mission we’re flying,” Huddleston said.
– With files from Global News’ Netu Garcha
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