US says Russian fighter jets again harass Reaper drones in Syria
Russian fighter jets accused of conducting dangerous manoeuvres for second day near US military drones over Syria.
The protest from the US air forces came as the French military said that two of its fighter jets on patrol over the Iraq-Syria border area were forced to manoeuvre “to control the risk of accident” involving a Russian Sukhoi SU-35 warplane on Thursday.
The Russian aircraft had engaged in “non-professional interaction” with two of France’s Rafale planes deployed to the region as part of “Operation Chammal”, which seeks to contain the ISIL (ISIS) group in Iraq and Syria, the French military said.
- Two separate incidents on Wednesday and Thursday involving Russian warplanes and US Reaper drones were captured on video, the US said.
- In the first incident, which took place about 10:40am (07:40 GMT) local time on Wednesday in northwest Syria, Russian Sukhoi SU-35 fighters closed in on a Reaper drone, and one of the Russian pilots moved their aircraft in front of the US aerial vehicles and engaged the SU-35’s afterburner, which greatly increases its speed and air pressure.
- The jet blast from the afterburner could have potentially damaged the Reaper’s electronics, and Grynkewich said it reduced the drone operator’s ability to safely operate the aircraft.
- The Reaper drones involved in the incidents were not armed with weapons and are commonly used for reconnaissance missions.
Russian jets 'harass' US drones again in ‘reckless’ and ‘dangerous’ act: Pentagon
The Air Force has called on Russia's pilots to immediately cease their "reckless" and "unsafe" behavior after two consecutive days of aggression.
Russian pilots who downed US drone given award
A new clip released by the US military on Thursday showed the Russian aircraft flying "dangerously close" to the US drones while dropping flares in eastern Syria.
The Air Force said that the move endangered the “safety of all aircraft involved”.
It came just one day after the military released a similar video.
The Air Force blasted Russia's act as "unsafe and unprofessional" and called on the Kremlin’s pilots to immediately cease their "reckless" behavior.
"Russian aircraft dropped flares in front of the drones and flew dangerously close, endangering the safety of all aircraft involved.
"This is the second instance of dangerous behaviors by Russian pilots within the past 24 hours, with the first happening Wednesday at approximately 10.40am local time.”
The two clips show Russian SU-35 fighters traveling into the flight path of the American MQ-9 Reaper drones, forcing them to make evasive maneuvers.
Grynkewich added: "These events represent another example of unprofessional and unsafe actions by Russian air forces operating in Syria, which threaten the safety of both Coalition and Russian forces.
"We urge Russian forces in Syria to cease this reckless behavior and adhere to the standards of behavior expected of a professional air force so we can resume our focus on the enduring defeat of ISIS.
"The US Air Forces Central remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of its personnel and assets and continues to work closely with partners and allies to address these incidents and prevent any escalation of tensions in the region.
"The safety of military personnel and the success of the mission against ISIS depend on the professional and responsible conduct of all forces operating in the region."
- The US has around 900 American troops stationed in eastern Syria engaged in a mission to wipe out ISIS, a terrorist organization.
Don't miss...
Two French fighter jets scrambled on 'protection mission' against Russian jet [LATEST]
ISIS on knees after US kills eight operatives [REPORT]
Putin's 'closest ally' disclosed 'embarrassing' details of his 'powerlessness' [INSIGHT]
- Russia also has a military presence in northwestern Syria to support Syrian dictator President Bashar al-Assad.
Referring to the incident on Wednesday, Army Gen. Erik Kurilla, head of US Central Command, said Russia's actions increase "the risk of escalation or miscalculation".
The US and Russia normally use a deconfliction line between their militaries in Syria to steer clear of unintentional mistakes or encounters that may accidentally trigger an escalation.
A Russian military spokesman claimed US drones have violated existing US-Russian air deconfliction protocols in an area of northern Syria.
But the US argued it is Russia’s military actions in the Middle East that have increasingly violated the deconfliction protocols, with officials saying pilots have developed a "new way of operating".
Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon's chief spokesman, said on Wednesday: "Did you see the video?
"We have rules in place, well-established processes and procedures and have very successfully de-conflicted with the Russians over many years when it comes to safe operations in that region."
He added that Russia’s suggestion that this is "somehow this is our fault is ridiculous".
This comes after Russian pilots sparked fury when they flew too close to US military bases in Syria. But these aggressive actions have also occurred outside of the country.
Back in March, a Russian SU-27 fighter jet crashed into an American-operated MQ-9 Reaper drone in international airspace over the Black Sea, forcing the US to bring its damaged aircraft down.
