Video Captures Close Encounter Between US F-35A and Russian Su-35S Near Alaska
A video released earlier this week shows a tense close encounter between a U.S. Air Force F-35A and a Russian Su-35S fighter jet over the Bering and Chukchi Seas, near Alaska.
The footage, initially shared by the Russian Fighterbomber Telegram channel – linked to the Russian Aerospace Forces – shows a Russian Su-35S fighter jet escorting a Tu-95MS “Bear” bomber, while an F-35A from Eielson Air Force Base flies dangerously close to the Russian jet—at one point, almost positioning itself directly in front of its nose.
The footage was recorded from inside the Russian cockpit, though the exact time and location of the incident remain unclear.
The last time the U.S.-Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) publicly reported detecting and tracking Russian military aircraft near Alaska’s coast was in February.
NORAD later released images showing the U.S. Air Force F-35As flying alongside Russian Su-35s and Tu-95s in international airspace within the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone. At the time, neither U.S. nor Russian officials mentioned any unusually close or potentially unsafe maneuvers by either side.
The U.S. Air Force F-35A is a cutting-edge stealth fighter jet, capable of speeds up to 1,200 mph and a range of around 1,380 miles, while the Russian Su-35 reaches speeds of up to 1,500 mph with a range of approximately 1,000 miles
