Russian pilots have recently attempted to engage in dogfighting with US jets over Syria, according to a spokesperson for US Central Command. This behavior is part of a recent pattern of more aggressive actions by Russian pilots. Although the Russian pilots do not seem to be attempting to shoot down American jets, their actions may be an attempt to provoke the US and draw them into an international incident. Dogfighting, a dangerous practice in military aviation, involves engaging in aerial combat at close range. Video footage released by US Central Command from April 2 shows a Russian SU-35 fighter jet conducting an unsafe and unprofessional intercept of a US F-16 fighter jet. Another video from April 18 shows a Russian fighter violating coalition airspace and coming within 2,000 feet of a US aircraft, a distance that can be covered in seconds by a fighter jet.
