US officials said Monday that a Russian fighter jet flew close to a US reconnaissance plane over Syria, forcing it to pass through the turbulence wake and endangering the lives of the four American crew members.
The officials said the incident, which occurred shortly before noon Sunday EST, was a significant escalation in a series of confrontations between US and Russian aircraft in Syria in recent weeks. The officials said the interception of the Russian Su-35 impeded the ability of the American crew to safely operate their MC-12, calling it a new level of unsafe behavior that could lead to accident or loss of life.
In recent weeks, Russian fighter jets have repeatedly harassed American MQ-9 drones, but the latest incident has raised concerns because it endangered Americans’ lives.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of a military operation, did not say how close the Russian jet was to the US warplane. The officials said the MC-12, a twin-turboprop aircraft routinely used by special operations forces, was conducting surveillance in support of operations against ISIS groups in Syria.
On multiple occasions in the past two weeks, Russian fighter jets have flown perilously close to MQ-9 Reapers, firing flares and forcing the drones to perform evasive maneuvers. US and Russian military officers frequently communicate via a deconfliction phone line during confrontations, in protest of the other’s actions.
The United States is considering a number of military options to counter growing Russian aggression in the skies over Syria, which complicated efforts to strike the leader of the Islamic State earlier this month, according to a senior defense official. The US eventually managed to launch an attack and kill the gunman.
The official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations, declined to say what options were under consideration, but said the United States would not cede any territory and would continue to fly in the western part of the country on missions against ISIS.
The Russian military activity, which has escalated in pace and aggression since March, stems from the growing cooperation and coordination between Moscow, Tehran and the Syrian government to try to pressure the United States to leave Syria.
There are about 900 American soldiers in the country, and others are in and out to carry out missions targeting ISIS militants.