Intel: Russian jets intercept US Navy plane over eastern Mediterranean
Two Russian fighter aircraft intercepted a US Navy patrol plane over the eastern Mediterranean.
Two Russian fighter aircraft intercepted a US Navy patrol plane over the eastern Mediterranean on Tuesday, the US 6th Fleet said.
The Navy released video of the interception, which it called “unsafe and unprofessional.” In it, two Russia Su-35 fighters can be seen close to the wings on both sides of a US Navy P-8A maritime patrol aircraft flying parallel to distant coastline. One of the Su-35s appears to be armed with an air-to-air missile.
The United States said the 64-minute intercept took place over international waters in the same area as two prior interceptions in April. In one of those incidents, Russia said it scrambled aircraft from western Syria’s Khmeimim airbase to escort US aircraft away from Russian military facilities.
Why it matters: The United States has accused Russia of numerous unsafe intercepts in recent years over and around Syria. Aerial encounters are to be expected as the two powers both remain militarily involved in the country’s conflict. Tuesday’s interception came the same day as the United States released aerial surveillance imagery showing Russian fighter aircraft recently delivered to Libya. The United States said at least 14 MiG-29s and Su-24s were flown from Russia to Syria, where they were repainted to conceal Russian markings, before being sent on to Tobruk in eastern Libya in support of Khalifa Hifter’s campaign against Libya’s UN-backed government in Tripoli.
