U.S. military pilots are worried about close calls with Russian warplanes over Syria

Over the skies of Syria, U.S. military pilots are struggling to cope with Russian warplanes that often flew too close to their aircraft, risking a mid-air collision, they told Wall Street Journal.

Photo: USAF

While Americans are busying bombing ISIL targets, Russians are pounding Syrian rebels trying to overthrow Al-Assad’s government. Often in the same airspace.

U.S. pilots complained that the Russians are not squawking their transponders, neither do they respond on guard channels frequently.