The Pentagon says that a Russian fighter jet flew within 10 feet of a U.S. Navy surveillance aircraft, in what officials called an unsafe intercept over the Black Sea.
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“We have concerns when there is an unsafe maneuver like this”, Davis said.
The incident between the Navy P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft and a Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker occurred at about 11:20 A.M. local time in worldwide airspace over the Black Sea, according to a statement provided to USNI News.
Since 2014, Russian Federation and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces have had several incidents in the Baltic and the Black Seas between aircraft and ships.
Later that year, the Canadian frigate HMCS Toronto was buzzed by Su-23 Fencers operating in the Black Sea.
According to defense officials, the incident occurred this morning as a U.S. Navy P-8A maritime reconnaissance aircraft flew over the Black Sea conducing “routine operations”.
Another official said that the USA crew attempted to contact the Russian pilot but received no response in return. Russian warplanes also flew unsafe maneuvers near an Air Force reconnaissance plane in April in the region.
“In 2014, more than 140 RC-135 flights have taken place compared to 22 flights in 2013”.
On September 5, Russian Federation launched strategic exercises Caucasus 2016.
The Pentagon slammed the incident as unsafe, the latest in multiple such encounters between Russian and USA aircraft or ships.
Russian Federation Air Force Su-27 Sukhois intercept a simulated hijacked aircraft entering Russian airspace on August 27, 2013, during Exercise Vigilant Eagle (VE) 13.
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Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis said in an emailed statement that the Russian Su-27 spent 19 minutes intercepting the U.S. P-8A Poseidon and that the P-8 was conducting “routine operations in worldwide airspace”.
