A Russian fighter jet flew very close to a US surveillance aircraft over Syria, forcing the aircraft to navigate the turbulent wake and putting the lives of the four American crew members in danger, according to US officials on Monday. The incident on Sunday marked a significant escalation in the recent series of encounters between US and Russian aircraft in Syria.
According to the officials, the US crew's ability to safely operate their MC-12 aircraft was hindered by the Russian Su-35 intercept, which they described as a new level of risky behavior that could cause an accident or death.
Jeopardising American lives
As of late, Russian contender jets have over and again irritated US automated MQ-9 robots, yet the most recent occurrence raised cautions since it jeopardised American lives.
The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the specifics of a military operation, did not specify how close the Russian plane came to the US warplane. According to the officials, the MC-12, a twin-engine turboprop aircraft that is frequently utilised by special operations forces, was carrying out surveillance in support of operations against Islamic State groups in Syria.
Russian fighter jets have been dangerously close to MQ-9 Reapers on multiple occasions over the past two weeks, ejecting flares and forcing the drones to make evasive moves. US and Russian military officials communicate habitually over a deconfliction telephone line during the experiences, fighting the opposite side's activities.
According to a senior defense official, the United States is considering a number of military options to combat the growing Russian aggression in the skies above Syria, which hampered efforts to strike a leader of the Islamic State group earlier this month.
In the end, the US was able to carry out a strike and eliminate the terrorist.
The authority, who additionally talked about the state of secrecy to examine military tasks, declined to detail the choices viable, yet said the US won't surrender any region and will keep on flying in the western part of the country on the enemy of Islamic State missions.
Moscow, Tehran, and the Syrian government are working together more and more to coordinate their efforts to exert pressure on the United States to withdraw from Syria, which is the source of the Russian military activity that has increased in frequency and aggression since March. There are approximately 900 US troops in the country, and additional troops move in and out to carry out missions that target militants of the Islamic State group.
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