The U.S. released video of a Russian jet flying within five feet of a U.S. Navy surveillance plane yesterday. An EP-3 Aries was flying in international airspace over the Black Sea when a Russian Su-27 flew into its flight path.
According to reports, the U.S. was flying in international airspace and did not provoke the Russian fighter. A Russian fighter jet flew into the flight path of an American aircraft if November as well, causing the plane to fly through “violent turbulence.”
U.S. and Russian planes have also had a number of close encounters in the airspace above Syria. In December, a U.S. jets fired warning flares after a Russian fighter flew east of the Euphrates. The river is considered a deconfliction line.