American forces in Europe released a video Tuesday showing a Russian jet flying within five feet of a U.S. Navy reconnaissance aircraft over international waters Monday.
The video shows the Russian jet flying close to the EP-3E Aries II, forcing the Navy plane to fly through the Russian plane’s jet wash.
After the original video was released on Tuesday, Naval Forces Europe released five more videos showing how close the Su-27 flew to the Navy aircraft.
“While not shown in the released imagery, during the intercept, the Russian Su-27 executed a hard right-to-left turn from the U.S. EP-3’s right side with an excessive closure rate and came within five feet of the EP-3’s right wingtip,” a Navy statement said. “The Russian Su-27 then proceeded to enter the flight path of the U.S. Navy EP-3, crossing within 10 feet and executing a sharp dive below, which resulted in violent turbulence for the U.S. EP-3 and its crewmembers.”
Navy Capt. Bill Ellis, commander of Task Force 67, said such moves by Russian jets could have “disastrous consequences.”
“These videos show the Russian Su-27 intercepting the EP-3 from a very close position, at the same altitude, and with an estimated wingtip-to-wingtip horizontal separation as little as five feet at times,” Ellis said. “For the Russian fighter aircraft to fly this close to the U.S. Navy aircraft, especially for extended periods of time, is unsafe. The smallest lapse of focus or error in airmanship by the intercepting aircrew can have disastrous consequences. There is no margin for error and insufficient time or space for our aircrews to take corrective action.”
It was yet another close call between American and Russian forces overseas.
State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Monday the Russian government needs to put an end to Russian pilots buzzing American military personnel before something unfortunate happens.
“This is but the latest example of Russian military activities disregarding international norms and agreements. We call on Russia to cease these unsafe actions that increase the risk of miscalculation, danger to aircrew on both sides, and midair collisions,” Nauert said.
Russian pilots have repeatedly buzzed American ships and jets in recent years.
Russia has enhanced its military presence in the region following its annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Last month, two U.S. F-22s intercepted Russian attack jets shortly after flying over a deconfliction line in Syria.
