Russian Fighter Collides with American MQ-9 Over Black Sea; Drone Misplaced

A Russian fighter collided with an American drone over the Black Sea on March 14, damaging the drone and inflicting it to crash, in line with U.S. European Command.

The U.S. navy mentioned the incident occurred in worldwide airspace following “an unsafe and unprofessional intercept” of an unarmed U.S. Air Pressure MQ-9 Reaper at 7:03 a.m. Central European Time. The U.S. routinely operates surveillance drones over the Black Sea together with close to Russian-occupied Crimea.

Two Russia Su-27s, NATO reporting title Flanker, dumped gasoline on and flew in entrance of the drone “a number of occasions” earlier than finally putting the MQ-9’s propeller, which is mounted on the rear, in line with the U.S. navy.

“Our MQ-9 plane was conducting routine operations in worldwide airspace when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian plane, leading to a crash and full lack of the MQ-9,” U.S. Air Pressure Gen. James B. Hecker, the commander of U.S. Air Forces Europe-Air Forces Africa, mentioned in a press release. “In truth, this unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russians almost brought on each plane to crash.”

It’s unclear if the Russian fighter was broken within the incident.

EUCOM added in a press release that the collision “demonstrates a scarcity of competence” on behalf of the Russians.

In February 2022, Russian Su-35 fighters obtained inside 5 ft of a Navy P-8 surveillance airplane over the Mediterranean Sea after crossing into its flight path.

“This incident follows a sample of harmful actions by Russian pilots whereas interacting with U.S. and Allied plane over worldwide airspace, together with over the Black Sea,” EUCOM mentioned.

The MQ-9 crash additionally follows more and more aggressive habits by Chinese language fighters when intercepting American surveillance planes over the South China Sea. U.S. officers insist they won’t be deterred by harassment of their plane.

“U.S. and allied plane will proceed to function in worldwide airspace and we name on the Russians to conduct themselves professionally and safely,” Hecker mentioned.

It is a breaking information story and can be up to date.