Russian Jet Buzzes US Navy Spy Plane Over Black Sea

[Khafee]

Russian Jet Buzzes US Navy Spy Plane Over Black Sea
28 Nov 2017
by Lucas Tomlinson

A P-8A Poseidon assigned to the "Skinny Dragons" of Patrol Squadron (VP) 4 flies over the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), Aug. 29, 2017. (U.S. Navy photo/Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Alex Perlman)

A Russian Su-30 fighter jet buzzed a Navy reconnaissance plane flying in the Black Sea while conducting a routine patrol in international airspace Saturday, an official told Fox News.

The Russian jet crossed 50 feet in front of the Navy P-8 in full afterburner causing "violent turbulence," the official said. The provocation lasted 24 minutes.
It appears to be first known incident of this type since June, when an armed Russian fighter jet buzzed a U.S. Air Force reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea. The Russian Su-27 jet had air-to-air missiles under its wings and approached the U.S. Air Force RC-135 recon jet "rapidly," coming within 5 feet of the American aircraft, officials said.

Once alongside, the Russian jet was "provocative" in its flight maneuvers and flying "erratically," according to another official.
Earlier this month, U.S. fighter jets intercepted Russian nuclear bombers approaching the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan off the coast of North Korea.
Multiple U.S Navy F/A-18 jets were dispatched to escort two Russian TU-95 bombers away from the ship currently stationed near North Korea and operating in the Sea of Japan, according to Navy officials.

The Russian bombers, capable of executing a nuclear strike, were intercepted merely 80 miles away from the ship, said Navy officials.
Lt. Cmdr. Nicole Schwegman described the incident with the Russian air force as "safe and professional."

Saturday's incident, which CNN was first to report, came just weeks after the Russian foreign ministry called the U.S. an "occupying force" in Syria.
There are roughly 2,000 U.S. troops on the ground in Syria, although the Pentagon acknowledges only 500. It's unclear how many will remain following the defeat of ISIS in Raqqa, the terror group's so-called capital.

There are approximately 3,000 ISIS fighters left in Iraq and Syria according to U.S. officials after reaching a height of nearly 40,000 fighters two years ago.

http://www.military.com/daily-news/...y-plane-over-black-sea.html?ESRC=eb_171128.nl

 

[Khafee]

Russian Fighter Intercepts US Spy Plane in Black Sea
28.11.2017

The US P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance plane was approaching the Russian state border in the Black Sea, according to Moscow.

The Russian military had to scramble a Sukhoi Su-30 fighter aircraft (NATO reporting name: Flanker-C) on November 25 after detecting an aerial target approaching the Russian border, the Russian Southern Military District's press service said in a statement.

"In order to intercept the target, a Su-30 fighter was scrambled from… the Southern Military District. The Russian fighter flew over the aerial object and visually identified it as American reconnaissance aircraft P-8A Poseidon," the Russian statement read.

In the wake of the incident, CNN reported, citing Pentagon spokeswoman Lt. Col. Michelle Baldanza, that Russia's Su-30 had made an "unsafe" intercept of a US P-8A Poseidon maritime, patrol and reconnaissance aircraft.


US European Command Spokesman Juan Martinez explained that the maneuver was dubbed "unsafe" since the Russian jet made a close approach with full afterburners on, while the P-8A was "conducting a routine operation in international airspace."

The Russian military reported that, after being detected by the Russian fighter, the US reconnaissance aircraft changed its trajectory to move away from Russia's airspace.

Such encounters occur on a regular basis, however, it is the first intercept reported as unsafe since June when a Russian jet came close to a US aircraft over the Baltic Sea.

https://sputniknews.com/russia/201711281059497941-russia-fighter-intercept-us-reconnaissance/