Russian Military Jet 20 Feet Away From US Navy, pic: P-8A Poseidon
Russian Military Jet 20 Feet Away From US Navy. A Russian military aircraft "was about 20 feet" from a US Navy P-8A Poseidon aircraft as it was flying in international airspace over the Black Sea earlier this week, said Captain Pamela Kunze.The meeting took place on Tuesday and was described by the United States Navy as "safe and professional".
"Distance is just one of many variables considered in defining what is safe and professional," said Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis. "For aviation interactions, distance, speed, altitude, closing speed, visibility and other factors influence whether an event is characterized as safe or unsafe, professional or unprofessional."
A US defense official said the Russian aircraft was armed with six air-to-air missiles and that the pilot took photos of the US aircraft during the encounter.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, "the Russian fighter carried out a" greeting "maneuver, after which the US surveillance aircraft changed its flight course away from the Russian border.
The aircraft was operating 65 miles south of the Sea of Azov, which separates Russia and the Crimea occupied by Russia. "The United States Navy, in a normal and routine manner, operates ships and planes in the Black Sea in accordance with international law," Kunze said.
The Russian government's statement described the Russian aircraft as a Su-30, while US officials referred to it as a Su-27.
Russia has made several flights off the coast of the United States in recent months.
Last week, two Russian bombers, flanked by a pair of fighter jets, were intercepted by US F-22 stealth aircraft off the coast of Alaska. During a stretch in April, Russian military aircraft were seen flying four times on the coast of Alaska on so many days.
The fact that the meeting on Tuesday took place near the Crimea adds an additional level of importance as the opposing views of the two countries on the conflict in Ukraine have become a burning issue between the parties.
The Trump government has said it opposes Russia maintaining the Crimea. White House press secretary Sean Spicer said earlier this year that he expects Moscow to withdraw from the region, which it has held since 2014.
Meanwhile, the United States has placed military assets across Europe in an effort to reassure its European and NATO allies as a result of Russian movements in Ukraine.