A Russian SU-27 fighter plane flew within five feet of a US Navy EP-3 Aries and crossed directly into its flight path, government officials said.
The intercept occurred over the Black Sea on Monday and prompted the US aircraft to abort its mission before completion, CNN reports.
The US aircraft was flying in international airspace during the incident, which lasted for two hours and 40 minutes, Navy Captain Pamela Kunze said in a statement.
A Russian SU-27 fighter plane flew within five feet of a US Navy EP-3 Aries (file photo) and crossed directly into its flight path over the Black Sea on Monday
The intercept prompted the EP-3 to abort its mission. It flew through the jet wash of the SU-27 (pictured in a file photo)
The EP-3 flew through the SU-27’s jet wash, or turbulence created by an aircraft, Kunze said in a statement deeming the interaction ‘unsafe’.
‘The Russian military is within its right to operate within international airspace, but they must behave within international standards set to ensure safety and prevent incidents,’ Navy Captain Pamela Kunze said in a statement. ‘Unsafe actions increase the risk of miscalculation and midair collisions.’
The statement added: ‘The US aircraft was operating in accordance with international law and did not provoke this Russian activity.’
The Russian Defense Ministry said in response that its planes were investigating an ‘unidentified air target’ and were ‘preventing it from violating Russian airspace, observing all necessary security measures.’
The Russians’ statement added: ‘The entire flight of the Russian SU-27 was strictly in accordance with international rules for the use of airspace and there were no extraordinary events.’
The Black Sea borders Ukraine, Russian-occupied Crimea and Russia in addition to Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Georgia.
The area has a high concentration of Russian, US and NATO military forces.
Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 amid the Ukrainian revolution. The move has been officially recognized by 11 United Nations member-states, including Russia.
In November 2017, a similar incident occurred over the Black Sea when a Russian SU-30 crossed in front of a US P-8A Poseidon.
And in Syria in December, US F-22s fired warning flares at two Russian SU-25 planes that, according to US officials, crossed the country’s de-confliction line. Russian authorities denied their planes had crossed the line.
Navy Captain Pamela Kunze said in a statement: ‘The US aircraft was operating in accordance with international law and did not provoke this Russian activity’ (file photo of SU-25s)
The Russian Defense Ministry said: ‘The entire flight of the Russian SU-27 was strictly in accordance with international rules for the use of airspace and there were no extraordinary events’ (file photo of an F-22)