US and Russian officers had conflicting accounts of the collision between the MQ-9 Reaper drone and the Russian Su-27 fighter jet – every blaming the opposite.
But a Pentagon spokesman raised the chance that the Defence Department may ultimately declassify and launch video it has of the collision.
US Defence officers stated the drone has not been recovered.
But the Pentagon declined to say whether or not any effort was underway to collect particles or items of the Reaper.
Here’s what’s identified — and unsure — in regards to the crash.
What the US says occurred
The Pentagon and US European Command stated that two Russian Su-27 plane dumped gasoline on the MQ-9, which was conducting a routine surveillance mission over the Black Sea in worldwide airspace.
They stated the Russian jets flew round and in entrance of the drone a number of occasions for 30 to 40 minutes, after which one of many Russian plane “struck the propeller of the MQ-9, causing US forces to have to bring the MQ-9 down in international waters”.
Air Force General James Hecker, commander of US Air Forces Europe and Africa, stated that the Russian jet’s actions “nearly caused both aircraft to crash.”
Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder stated the collision probably additionally broken the Russian fighter jet, however the Su-27 was in a position to land.
He wouldn’t say the place it landed.
The Pentagon stated the drone was “well clear” of any Ukrainian territory, however didn’t present particulars.
A US defence official stated it was working west of Crimea over the Black Sea.
The official spoke on situation of anonymity to offer mission particulars.
It’s not clear if the collision was an accident or intentional, however either side agree the Russian plane have been attempting to intercept the drone.
What Russia says occurred
The Russian Defence Ministry stated the US drone was flying close to the Russian border and intruded in an space that was declared off-limits by Russian authorities.
It stated that the Russian army scrambled fighters to intercept the US drone.
It claimed that “as a result of sharp manoeuvre, the US drone went into uncontrollable flight with a loss of altitude and collided with water surface”.
Russia has declared broad areas close to Crimea off-limits to flights.
Ever for the reason that 2014 annexation of Crimea and lengthy earlier than Russia invaded Ukraine final yr, Moscow has charged that US surveillance planes have been flying too near its borders whereas ignoring the notices issued by Russia.
Nations routinely function in worldwide airspace and waters, and no nation can declare limits on territory outdoors of its personal border.
The ministry stated the Russian plane have been scrambled to intercept the drone however did not use their weapons and “didn’t come into contact” with it.
The MQ-9 Reaper is a big unmanned US Air Force plane that’s remotely operated by a two-person group.
It features a floor management station and satellite tv for pc tools and has a 20-metre wingspan.
The group features a rated pilot who’s liable for flying the plane and an enlisted aircrew member who’s charged with working the sensors and guiding weapons.
Used routinely throughout the Iraq and Afghanistan wars for surveillance and airstrikes, the Reaper will be both armed or unarmed.
It can carry as much as eight laser-guided missiles, together with Hellfire missiles and different subtle munitions, and might loiter over targets for about 24 hours.
It is about 11m lengthy, 4m excessive, and weighs about 2500kg.
It can fly at an altitude of as much as 15,000m and has a spread of about 2500km.
The Reaper, which first started working in 2007, changed the US Air Force’s smaller Predator drones.
Each Reaper prices about $US32 million ($47 million).
The US State Department summoned Russian Ambassador Anatoly Antonov to a gathering on Tuesday with Karen Donfried, the assistant secretary of state for Europe.
“We are engaging directly with the Russians, again at senior levels, to convey our strong objections to this unsafe, unprofessional intercept, which caused the downing of the unmanned US aircraft,” State Department spokesman Ned Price stated.
And White House National Security spokesman John Kirby stated the US will likely be “expressing our concerns over this unsafe and unprofessional intercept”.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin had not talked to his Russian counterpart relating to the incident, Ryder stated.
This will not be the primary time Russian plane have flown so near US plane within the Black Sea that it is prompted the Pentagon to publicly condemn the incident for placing the crews in danger.
In 2020, Russian jets crossed in entrance of a B-52 bomber that was flying over the Black Sea, and flew as shut as 30m in entrance of the bomber’s nostril, inflicting turbulence.
Russian jets have additionally buzzed US warships throughout workout routines within the Black Sea.
In 2021, Russian warplanes buzzed the USS Donald Cook, a Navy destroyer, which had been participating in a serious train.
Until Russia’s invasion final yr of Ukraine, US warships extra incessantly deployed to the Black Sea in response to Russia’s 2014 assault on Crimea.
For probably the most half, nevertheless, army intercepts — both within the air or at sea — are routine and have occurred a variety of occasions with Russian plane within the Pacific, significantly within the north.
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Just final month, US fighter jets intercepted two Russian TU-95 bombers in worldwide airspace off Alaska’s coast, and “escorted them” for 12 minutes, in keeping with the Pentagon.
And Russian plane have achieved related missions, and in addition buzzed US Navy ships within the Pacific.
In many of the circumstances, the intercepts are deemed protected {and professional}.
It’s not clear if the Russian pilots have been keen to get nearer to the Reaper or dump gasoline on it as a result of they knew it was unmanned – and subsequently there was no danger to an American pilot or crew.
The deliberate downing of a manned plane – injuring or killing crew members – may very well be thought of an act of struggle.
Source: www.9news.com.au
