A US Air Force drone was forced down by a Russian fighter jet over the Black Sea, following a clash that resulted in damage to the drone’s propeller. According to a US official familiar with the incident, a Russian fighter jet caused damage to a US Air Force drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday, which forced it to land in international waters.
The incident involved the American MQ-9 Reaper drone and two Russian SU-27 Flanker jets that were operating over international waters in the Black Sea when one of the Russian jets intentionally flew in front of and dumped fuel in front of the unmanned drone.
One of the jets then damaged the propeller of the Reaper, which is mounted on the rear of the drone, forcing the US to bring it down. The US Air Force has issued a statement accusing the Russian aircraft of acting recklessly, unprofessionally, and environmentally unsound.
According to General James B. Hecker, commander, of U.S. Air Forces Europe, and Air Forces Africa, the incident demonstrated a lack of competence, in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional. President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident by national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Tuesday morning.
“At approximately 7:03 AM (CET), one of the Russian Su-27 aircraft struck the propeller of the MQ-9, causing U.S. forces to have to bring the MQ-9 down in international waters.
James B.Hecker, commander, U.S. Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa said in the statement.
Several times before the collision, the Su-27s dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner. This incident demonstrates a lack of competence in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional,”
Statement from the Russian Defense Ministry
On 14 March 2023 in the morning, the Russian airspace control systems have detected an American MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle flying over the Black Sea near the Crimean Peninsula in the direction of the state border of the Russian Federation,” the ministry said.
“The drone flew with its transponders off, violating the boundaries of the temporary airspace regime established for the special military operation, communicated to all users of international airspace, and published in accordance with international standards.”According to the ministry, following abrupt maneuvering the drone “went into an unguided flight with a loss of altitude and collided with the water surface.”
“The Russian aircraft did not use on-board weapons, did not come into contact with the unmanned aerial vehicle, and returned safely to their home airfield,” it added.
Russian Defence Ministry..Reported by TASS
The US Air Force has been using Reaper drones to monitor the Black Sea since before the beginning of the Ukraine war. These drones are capable of flying as high as 50,000 feet and have sensors and capabilities to gather intelligence and perform reconnaissance for extended periods of time, making them an ideal platform to track movements on the battlefield and in the Black Sea.
However, this incident marks the first known interaction between Russian and US aircraft over the Black Sea during the course of the war, and it is a potentially dangerous escalation at a critical time in the fighting.
While Russian aircraft intercepting US aircraft over the Black Sea is not uncommon, according to National Security Council communications coordinator John Kirby, the episode on Tuesday was unique in how unsafe, unprofessional, and reckless the Russian actions were. CNN has requested a comment from the Russian Ministry of Defense regarding the incident.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of US drone operations over the Black Sea, as well as the escalation of tensions between Russia and the US. This incident comes at a time when the US has been increasing its military presence in the region in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
The US has been providing military support to Ukraine since the conflict began and has recently announced plans to send heavy military equipment to support Ukraine’s defense. The US has also been conducting joint military exercises with other NATO members in the region, which have been seen as a show of force against Russia.
Russia has responded to these actions by increasing its military presence in the region and conducting its own military exercises. The incident on Tuesday is likely to further increase tensions between Russia and the US, and could potentially lead to further military action.
The safety of drone operations has become a growing concern in recent years, with incidents involving drones and aircraft becoming more common. In 2019, a US Navy drone was shot down by Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz, and in 2020, a Chinese military drone was shot down by Indian forces in the disputed region of Ladakh.
As the use of drones becomes more widespread, it is likely that incidents like these will continue to occur, raising concerns about the safety of drone operations and the potential for conflict.
In response to the incident, the US Air Force has called for an investigation into the actions of the Russian aircraft and has emphasized the importance of safe and professional interactions between military aircraft.