(VIDEO) High-Stakes Aerial Intercept: Russian Il-38N Shadowed by F-35C, Super Hornet Near USS Carl Vinson

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — In a dramatic and rare encounter that has captivated military analysts and defence watchers globally, a Russian Navy Il-38N maritime patrol aircraft was recently captured on video being “escorted” by US Navy F-35C and F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets as it flew perilously close to the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70).

The footage, which surfaced on social media just days ago, offers a rare glimpse into the shadowy chess game of aerial cat-and-mouse playing out across the increasingly contested waters of the Indo-Pacific.

The incident reportedly unfolded during USS Carl Vinson‘s deployment in the Pacific Ocean, though the precise timing remains undisclosed—an omission perhaps indicative of operational sensitivities or ongoing intelligence assessments.

What is clear, however, is the strategic backdrop: the Russian Pacific Fleet’s Naval Aviation arm has been ramping up its surveillance and long-range patrol missions in a region now regarded as the fulcrum of 21st-century great power competition.

Over the past month, the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group has been deeply engaged in high-end joint naval exercises with key regional allies. Between March 17 and 20, the Nimitz-class carrier and its escort ships joined forces with the Republic of Korea Navy and Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) in the East China Sea—a flashpoint waterway abutting the contested Taiwan Strait and China’s increasingly assertive maritime frontier.

These trilateral drills, aimed at sharpening anti-submarine warfare (ASW), air defence, and interoperability protocols, came as Washington and its Indo-Pacific partners seek to counterbalance Beijing’s naval ascendance and Moscow’s strategic overtures.

Following those drills, the Carl Vinson was reportedly en route to its homeport in Guam for logistical replenishment when it found itself shadowed by a Russian Il-38N, likely operating out of Russia’s Far East military facilities in the Kamchatka Peninsula or Vladivostok.

While such flybys are not unprecedented, the proximity to a US nuclear-powered supercarrier and the overt presence of American fifth- and fourth-generation fighters added weight to the encounter.

Russian state media confirmed that the Il-38N—an upgraded variant of the Cold War-era Ilyushin Il-38—was conducting a long-range patrol over international waters with the explicit mission of monitoring US carrier movements.

Designed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, the Il-38N has been modernised with the sophisticated Novella-P-38 mission suite, enabling it to track surface vessels, detect submarines using sonar buoys and magnetic anomaly detection (MAD), and even share real-time targeting data with Russian naval assets via encrypted datalinks.

The tension peaked when the Russian patrol aircraft approached within visual range of the Carl Vinson, prompting a tactical intercept by US carrier-based fighters.

In a scene that has since gone viral, the Il-38N was flanked by a radar-evading F-35C Lightning II and an F/A-18E Super Hornet—both launched from the carrier’s flight deck.

The three aircraft then performed a formation flypast in front of the American warship, a manoeuvre that defence experts described as “highly uncommon” given the operational risks and symbolic weight of such an aerial ballet.

The Russian aircraft involved in the incident was later identified by its yellow fuselage marking “27” and tail number RF-75320.

Additional reporting revealed that the same aircraft—or another Il-38N from the same fleet—was previously intercepted by a Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-15J during the recent multinational drills, further highlighting the growing density of military activity and the potential for inadvertent escalation in these international air corridors.

In response to queries about the encounter, a spokesperson for Russia’s Pacific Fleet acknowledged that the incident had occurred during the USS Carl Vinson’s recent mission and stressed that the interaction was carried out in a “safe and professional” manner.

While both sides appear keen to downplay the significance, the imagery—steeped in symbolism—tells its own story of strategic signalling.

The Il-38N: Soviet Legacy, Modern Teeth

At the heart of the incident lies the Il-38N, a platform born from Cold War exigencies but adapted for 21st-century maritime warfare.

Developed from the civilian Il-18 airliner, the Il-38N retains its four turboprop configuration but integrates cutting-edge sensors and mission systems.

Key Specifications:

• Length: 39.6 meters

• Wingspan: 37.4 meters

• Max Takeoff Weight: 68,000 kg

• Top Speed: 650 km/h

• Range: ~9,500 km

• Endurance: Up to 12 hours

• Service Ceiling: 10,000 meters

• Powerplant: 4 × Ivchenko AI-20M turboprops (4,250 hp each)

Mission Suite – Novella-P-38:

• Surface and air search radar

• Forward-looking infrared (FLIR) and TV sensors

• Magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) for submarine detection

• Acoustic processing system for sonobuoys

• Encrypted datalinks for real-time battlefield coordination

Armament Loadout:

• Internal bay capable of carrying:

  • APR-3E rocket-assisted anti-submarine torpedoes

  • Naval depth charges and mines

  • Potential integration of lightweight anti-ship missiles

The Il-38N is engineered for strategic reconnaissance, long-duration patrols, and ASW operations across the vast maritime expanse of the Pacific and Arctic theatres.

Although it lacks the speed and stealth of modern Western platforms like the P-8A Poseidon or Japan’s Kawasaki P-1, its endurance and sensor suite render it a persistent surveillance asset—and a useful tool for Moscow to project presence and provoke reaction.

Strategic Implications:

This encounter is more than an aerial curiosity—it reflects the sharpened edges of a multipolar naval contest.

While the South China Sea has often stolen headlines, the broader Indo-Pacific is emerging as the arena where naval doctrines, airpower, and geopolitical ambitions increasingly intersect.

Whether probing US carrier groups or signalling strategic reach, Russia’s Pacific Fleet appears intent on reinforcing its relevance—especially as its alignment with China deepens amid mounting tensions with NATO.

The skies over the Pacific are getting crowded, and each intercept, flypast, or formation flight—especially ones involving nuclear-capable platforms or strategic patrol aircraft—adds another unpredictable variable to the complex calculus of deterrence and escalation.

— DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA