Dramatic video shows fighter jets surrounding Russian aircraft off coast of Alaska

Source: Daily Mail

Russian aircraft came dangerously close to a U.S. fighter jet sent to intercept them off the coast of Alaska.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected and tracked four Russian military aircrafts operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on September 23.

NORAD scrambled four F-16s fighters and a reconnaissance aircraft to escort the Russian formation through the zone, a spokesperson told Alaska Public Media. Video of the interaction shows one Russian jet soaring past an American aircraft, quickly banking left and right.

'The conduct of one Russian Su-35 was unsafe, unprofessional, and endangered all – not what you’d see in a professional air force,' said Gen. Gregory Guillot.

Russia's formation included two Russian Tu-95 Bear bombers and two Su-35 Flanker jet fighters. 

NORAD said the Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace. 

'This Russian activity in the Alaska ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat,' the agency said.

An increase in Russian military planes and vessels near American territory prompted the US to relocate 130 soldiers along with mobile rocket launchers to a desolate island in Alaska earlier in September.

Eight Russian military planes and four navy vessels - including two submarines - have come close to the 'last frontier' in the past week as Russia and China have conducted joint military drills, beginning on September 10.  

A Pentagon spokesperson said there was no cause for alarm as the aircrafts have yet to breach U.S. airspace. 

‘It's not the first time that we've seen the Russians and the Chinese flying in the vicinity and that's something that we obviously closely monitor,' Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said at a news conference.

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