The Su-27 fighter jet approached the RC-135U recon jet “rapidly,” and came within five feet of the American aircraft
According to American Military News, U.S. officials have told Fox News that an armed Russian fighter jet “buzzed” a U.S. Air Force (USAF) RC-135U Combat Sent reconnaissance aircraft on Jun 19, 2017 in the Baltic Sea.
The accident happened just one day after Russia said it would “target” American aircraft following the U.S. downing a Syrian plane over the weekend.
However according to the officials the Su-27 fighter jet approached the RC-135U recon jet “rapidly,” and came within five feet of the American aircraft.
“Once alongside, the Russian jet was ‘provocative’ in its flight maneuvers and flying ‘erratically,’ according to another official,” Fox reported.
There have been more than 35 encounters between U.S. and Russian jets and warships in the Baltic Sea, according to reports.
But this one was “unsafe,” one official told Fox News.
Noteworthy this episode increases tension between U.S. and Russia after the crisis between the two countries had escalated following the recent facts in Syria.
Acatually as we have previously explained on Jun. 8, 2017, a USAF F-15E Strike Eagle shot down a “pro-Syria regime” UAV that was attacking U.S.-backed fighters in southern Syria.
Then on Jun. 18 a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter bomber from VFA-87 Golden Warriors shot down by means of an AIM-120 AMRAAM a Syrian Sukhoi Su-22 near Tabqah, 20 miles west of Raqqa, after that the attack aircraft had dropped bombs near U.S. backed forces, in the form of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Finally on Jun. 20 a USAF F-15E Strike Eagle jet shot down another Iranian-made Syrian drone that was armed and in firing range of American troops in southern Syria.
Photo credit: Sukhoi and U.S. Air Force
Artwork courtesy of AircraftProfilePrints.com
