Russian Su-27 carried out unsafe intercept of USN P-8A over Black Sea

The Pentagon has confirmed that a Russian Su-27 came within 10 feet of a U.S. Navy P-8A while both were flying over the Black Sea on Sept. 6.

A Russian Air Force Su-27 Sukhois aircraft intercepts a simulated hijacked aircraft, foreground, during Vigilant Eagle 2013 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Aug. 27, 2013 130827-F-XT249-155
By TSgt Jason Robertson [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Defense officials said the entire encounter was 19-minutes and the fighter was initially 30 feet away before closing in.

A spokesman from the Russian Defense Ministry said the P-8A had approached Russia’s border twice while its transponders were switched off. Therefore, Su-27s were dispatched and the crew had acted “in strict accordance with international flight rules.”