WASHINGTON – A Russian jet collided with a U.S. Air Pressure drone over the Black Sea Tuesday, inflicting it to crash after an “unsafe and unprofessional intercept,” the U.S. navy reported.
The incident occurred Tuesday morning when two Russian SU-27 fighters performed an intercept of the MQ-9 Reaper drone that demonstrated the pilots’ “lack of competence,” in response to a press release from U.S. European Command. One of many fighters clipped the propeller of the drone, forcing U.S. operators to convey it down in worldwide waters.
Nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan briefed President Joe Biden on the incident, John Kirby, a spokesman for the Nationwide Safety Council, instructed reporters Tuesday. Russian pilots have intercepted U.S. warplanes in latest weeks however not in such a “reckless” method, Kirby stated.
“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,” Air Pressure Gen. James Hecker, commander, U.S. Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa, stated in a press release. “In reality, this unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russians almost brought about each plane to crash.”
“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 added.
Russian pilots have engaged in “a sample of harmful exercise” that led as much as Tuesday’s crash, in response to European Command.
“These aggressive actions by Russian aircrew are harmful and will result in miscalculation and unintended escalation,” the assertion stated.
The crash of the drone comes amid heightened tensions with Russia over the warfare in Ukraine. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in Feb. 2022, the US has despatched greater than $30 billion in navy support to Ukraine.
This text initially appeared on USA TODAY: Russian fighter jet collides with US Air Pressure drone over Black Sea