Although the presence of Russian aircraft near Alaska is not unprecedented, the timing is curious.
The US Air Force’s fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons has intercepted Russian spy planes near Alaska on two separate occasions in the past week. According to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), Russian IL-20 surveillance and reconnaissance planes flew in the vicinity of the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), forcing NORAD to respond. During the initial incident, a pair of F-16s, along with one KC-135 tanker, was dispatched to identify and monitor the Russian aircraft. During the second occasion, a pair of F-16s was joined again by one KC-145 tanker and an E-3 to intercept the same type of aerial platform.
“The Il-20 flew inside the ADIZ for approximately 1 hour and 12 minutes; the location of the incursion was approximately 25 nautical miles from St. Lawrence Island,” the spokesperson for NORAD told Air & Space Forces Magazine. “The Russian military aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace,” NORAD added in a statement. Although the presence of Russian aircraft near the Alaskan ADIZ is not unprecedented, the timing of these two back-to-back incidents is suspect. Earlier this month, a diplomatic meeting between US president Donald J. Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, took place in Alaska. The two leaders discussed potential ceasefire solutions in Ukraine.
The F-16
The General Dynamics (now Lockheed Martin) F-16 Fighting Falcon may be aging, but the mighty platform remains a fan favorite among aviation buffs and militaries throughout the globe. The F-16 platform was born from lessons learned in the Vietnam War, specifically the need to develop an air superiority fighter capable of dominating in a more competitive threat climate. As the product of the “Fighter Mafia,” the F-16 was designed to maneuver with minimal energy loss. It would notably become the first fighter to take advantage of the then-new Energy-Maneuverability Theory of dogfighting. The proposed YF-16 prototype that would become the Fighting Falcon was considered superior to its YF-17 competitor due to its lower operating costs, enhanced maneuverability, and greater range. Specifically, the incorporation of the Pratt & Whitney F1-100 turbofan engine into the YF-16 was considered a huge bonus since its powerplant was already being used to power the existing F-15 Eagle.
From avionics and speed to armament power and versatility, the Fighting Falcon has earned its reputation as arguably the most capable fourth-generation fighter jet in service. Recent F-16 iterations benefit from Northrop Grumman’s advanced APG-83 AESA radar, which provides fifth-generation radar capabilities. Additionally, the new Block 70/72 F-15s are equipped with a high-resolution Center Pedestal Display, Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod, and Legion-ES IRST system, which all boost pilot situational awareness.
In terms of ordnance capability, the Fighting Falcon is quite lethal. In fact, Lockheed Martin has certified more than 3,300 carriage and release configurations for more than 180 weapon types for the F-16 platform. Older F-16 variants feature nine hardpoints for weapon payloads and can carry the AIM-9 Sidewinder, Raytheon AMRAAM, Raytheon Sparrow, and other air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has bylines in many publications, including The National Interest, The Jerusalem Post, and The Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.
Image: DVIDS.
