US F-22 and F-35 escort Putin's ‘Flying Kremlin' out of Alaska as he heads back to Russia after meeting Trump

Time of India

8 hours ago

After the conclusion of a key meeting with US President Donald Trump in Alaska, Russian President Vladimir Putin flew back to Moscow. On his way back home, he was accompanied by two of America's best fighter jets, the F-22 and the F-35. The F-22 and F-35 fighter jets are advanced, stealthy, and built for air combat and versatile missions. In a video shared by Kremlin.ru, the official website of the President of the Russian Federation, the two US fighter jets can be seen accompanying Putin's aircraft as he is on his way out of Alaska.
The Russian president, who visited the US after 10 years, arrived in Alaska on Friday (August 15, 2025). He visited Alaska to discuss several key issues, including the possibility of an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, which began in February 2022 following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
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Putin arrived at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, where he was welcomed by Trump. The two leaders walked along a red carpet past the guard of honor before posing for a joint photograph. During the photo session, a B-2 Spirit bomber, escorted by four F-22 fighters, performed a flyover.
The Russian president landed in Alaska in his Ilyushin Il-96-300, often dubbed the "
Flying Kremlin
." The aircraft traces its roots to the late Soviet era as a successor to the Il-86 airliner. The aircraft was developed by the Ilyushin Design Bureau in the 1980s. It aimed to provide a modern, long-haul option for commercial and governmental use. Initially designed for passenger transport, the Il-96-300 entered service in July 1993.
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As far as the main presidential aircraft is concerned, it has four engines. The aircraft is a long-range, wide-body Ilyushin Il-96-300PU, a highly modified Il-96, with the last two letters standing for "Command Point" in Russian.
F-22 and F-35: Key Features
F-22 Raptor
The F-22 Raptor is a combination of stealth, supercruise, maneuverability, and integrated avionics, coupled with improved supportability, representing an exponential leap in warfighting capabilities, according to the US Air Force website www.af.mil. The Raptor performs both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
The F-22 is designed to project air dominance rapidly and at great distances and defeat threats attempting to deny access to our nation's Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps.
As far as the features are concerned, a combination of sensor capability, integrated avionics, situational awareness, and weapons provides a first-kill opportunity against threats. The F-22 possesses a sophisticated sensor suite allowing the pilot to track, identify, shoot, and kill air-to-air threats before being detected.
There have been crucial advancements made in cockpit design and sensor fusion to improve the pilot's situational awareness. The F-22 has a significant capability to attack surface targets.
F-35A Lightning II
The F-35A is the latest fifth-generation multi-role fighter jet of the American Air Force. It brings an enhanced capability to survive in the advanced threat environment in which it was designed to operate. With its aerodynamic performance and advanced integrated avionics, the F-35A will provide next-generation stealth, enhanced situational awareness, and reduced vulnerability for the United States and allied nations.
The F-35A is an agile, versatile, high-performance, 9 g-capable multirole fighter that combines stealth, sensor fusion, and unprecedented situational awareness. The F-35A's advanced sensor package is designed to gather, fuse, and distribute more information, giving operators a decisive advantage over all adversaries.
The F-35 is designed to provide the pilot with unsurpassed situational awareness, positive target identification, and precision strike in all weather conditions. Mission systems integration and outstanding over-the-nose visibility features are designed to dramatically enhance pilot performance.