While on a routine patrol on United States airspace west of Alaska, Doug Masters and his wingman test the g-forces of their F-16 Fighting Falcon variants#F-16C/D planes. Their antics get them carried away, as they stray over Soviet Union airspace. As they are being escorted back into U.S. airspace, one of the Soviet planes has Doug on missile-lock. Doug requests to break formation and engage the Soviet aircraft, but is denied by flight control. He is immediately shot down, but safely ejects and lands on Soviet land, where he is promptly captured by nearby soldiers.