Video captures a Russian Su-35 fighter jet harassing and breaking a US Reaper drone by popping flares above it
- A Russian fighter jet flew "dangerously close" to a US military drone over Syria, the Air Force said.
- The Su-35 harassed the MQ-9 Reaper drone by releasing flares in its path, damaging the propeller.
A Russian fighter jet recently flew "dangerously close" to a US military combat drone operating above Syria and harassed the unmanned aircraft with flares, the US Air force said on Tuesday. This incident marks the latest demonstration of aggressive behavior by Moscow's pilots in the region.
Just before 12:30 a.m. local time on Sunday, the Russian Su-35 aircraft approached the US MQ-9 Reaper drone as it was carrying out a mission against the Islamic State. After positioning itself just a few meters directly above the Reaper, the Su-35 deployed several flares — one of which struck the drone and "severely" damaged its propeller, the Air Force said in a statement.
"Fortunately, the MQ-9 crew was able to maintain flight and safely recover the aircraft to its home base," the Air Force said, without disclosing any additional details about the counter-ISIS mission.
An unclassified video of the incident released by the Air Force shows the Su-35 approach the MQ-9 from behind, getting close enough at one point that the Russian pilot's face is visible in imagery from the incident. Later in the video, the fighter jet can be seen releasing several flares. Photographs published by the US military also show damage to the propeller.
"The Russian fighter's blatant disregard for flight safety detracts from our mission to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS," Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, the commander of US Air Forces Central Command (AFCENT) said in a statement on Tuesday. "We call upon the Russian forces in Syria to put an immediate end to this reckless, unprovoked, and unprofessional behavior."
Moscow's pilots have carried out aggressive maneuvers around US military aircraft operating above Syria on multiple occasions throughout July. The first week of the month featured three straight days of harassment, which saw Russian aircraft drop parachute flares, engage afterburners, and fly in close proximity to several MQ-9 Reaper drones.
The bullying was not limited to American assets either. Two French fighter jets on a security mission earlier this month were forced to maneuver to avoid a "non-professional interaction" by a Russian Su-35.
More recently, the Air Force said in mid-July that a Russian aircraft engaged a US MC-12 surveillance plane "in an unsafe and unprofessional manner." The MC-12 was forced to fly through the Russian aircraft's wake turbulence, hindering the crew's ability to operate the plane and putting their lives at risk.
Washington has increasingly called attention in recent months to dangerous actions by Russian pilots, accusing Moscow of interfering with American interests and assets in Syria, where the US has around 900 troops deployed to conduct missions against ISIS. US officials have routinely blasted the Kremlin over these reckless incidents, warning that the interactions are interfering with counterterrorism operations.
A Pentagon spokesperson said earlier this month that Russia, which supports the Assad regime in its ongoing civil war, knows exactly where US aircraft operate, so there is "no excuse" for the continued harassment. "It is almost as if the Russians are now on a mission to protect ISIS leaders," Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters.
After one particular incident on July 7 that lasted several hours, several Reaper drones harassed by Russian aircraft went on to carry out a strike in eastern Syria that killed an ISIS leader. It's unclear how, exactly, the Russian engagement may have impacted the counterterrorism mission, but US military leaders have seemingly had enough.
"Russian unsafe and unprofessional behavior in the air not only degrades our Defeat ISIS mission, it risks unintended escalation and miscalculation," Gen. Michael Kurilla, commander of US Central Command, said after Sunday's incident.
The recent engagement is also not the first time that Russian aircraft harassment resulted in damage to a Reaper drone's propeller. A Russian Su-27 fighter jet clipped an MQ-9's propeller while it was operating above the Black Sea in March, forcing the US military to bring the aircraft down into international waters and eleveating tensions between Washington and Moscow.