Russian Su-35 Has Close Encounter With F-35 Near Alaska

<p >Footage launched on April 4 has proven an in depth encounter between a U.S. Air Power F-35A and a Russian Aerospace Forces Su-35 close to Alaska, with the F-35 seen encroaching on the Russian jet and efficiently positioning itself ahead and to the suitable of it. The Russian fighters had been escorting <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/enhanced-tu95-bomber-cruise-missile-ukraine" goal="_blank">Tu-95MS strategic bombers</a> close to the coast of the American state, as they’ve executed steadily throughout patrols. Though Su-35s have been concerned in shut encounters with American fight plane previously, that is their first such encounter with U.S. Air Power F-35s. Prior such encounters have <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/mq9-dangerous-su35-syria" goal="_blank">included a number of </a>with MQ-9 Reaper drones over Syria, and a <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/su35-headbutting-f16-alaska" >threatening method</a> to a U.S. Air Power F-16 close to Alaska in September 2024. The latter incident noticed a Su-35 lower in entrance of and throughout the F-16’s path at very shut vary, in what was referred to by some sources as a ‘headbutting’ manoeuvre. When configured for stealth operations, the F-35 is notably much less effectively geared up than the F-16 to have interaction the Su-35 inside visible ranges, because the fighter are incapable of carrying visible vary air-to-air missiles with out compromising their stealth profiles. This offers the Su-35 with a serious benefit at such ranges regardless of the restricted capabilities of its R-73/74 visible vary missiles.</p><p ><img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/05/article_67f1ad139957d8_69787123.png" title="F-35 and Pair of Su-35s with Tu-95MS Close to Alaska" ></p><p >Russian Su-35s had been on November 30 deployed alongside Chinese language <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/j16-flying-low-chinese-beach-backbone-fleet" goal="_blank">J-16 fighters </a>to escort respective Tu-95 and H-6 strategic bombers for <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/super-flankers-united-j16s-su35-jointly-escort" >operations</a> close to Alaska, elevating issues in the US that the rather more subtle Chinese language plane might in future place additional stress on Alaskan defences. The Su-35’s engagement with an F-35 carefully follows affirmation within the remaining week of March that the dimensions of the fighter class’ manufacturing <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russia-expanding-su35-fighter-production-scale-two-reasons-why" >will likely be expanded</a>, which can enable Russia each to operationalise new squadrons extra rapidly in its personal fleet and to raised meet export orders, particularly these from Iran and Algeria. The Su-35 entered service within the Russian Aerospace Power simply months earlier than the U.S. Air Power operationalised the F-35A, and is taken into account a ‘4++ era’ plane in comparison with the fifth era F-35. The fighter has a considerably longer vary, carries a considerably bigger major radar and a far higher weapons payload, and has a superior flight efficiency throughout the spectrum of parameters together with a supercruise functionality. The F-35, nevertheless, advantages from avionics which can be regarded as way more subtle, in addition to world main stealth capabilities. The F-35 is believed to have a considerably superior general fight efficiency at past visible ranges for each air-to-air and strike operations. </p>



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