Incident Lasted Nearly 3 Hours, Pentagon Says

An American aircraft conducting surveillance in international airspace over the Black Sea was intercepted by a Russian fighter jet on Monday, in an incident the Pentagon describes as dangerous.

In a news release, the DoD reported that on Jan. 29, 2018, a U.S. EP-3 Aries aircraft flying in international airspace over the Black Sea was intercepted by a Russian Su-27. This interaction was determined to be unsafe due to the Su-27 closing to within five feet and crossing directly through the EP-3’s flight path, causing the EP-3 to fly through the Su-27’s jet wash. The duration of the intercept lasted two hours and 40 minutes.

"The Russian military is within its right to operate within international airspace, but they must behave within international standards set to ensure safety and prevent incidents, including the 1972 Agreement for the Prevention of Incidents on and Over the High Seas (INCSEA). Unsafe actions‎ increase the risk of miscalculation and midair collisions," said a statement released by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa Public Affairs.

The U.S. aircraft was operating in accordance with international law and did not provoke this Russian activity, the Pentagon said.

Fox News reports that a military spokesperson would not elaborate on how long the "unsafe" portion of the incident lasted. It is the first such encounter reported by the Pentagon since November.

(Image from file)

FMI: Original Report, www.c6f.navy.mil/news/us-ep-3-intercepted-black-sea