OAN Deven Berryhill
UPDATED 12:45 PM PT – Tuesday, March 14, 2023
A Russian fighter jet hit the propeller of a U.S. Air Force drone causing it to crash over the Black Sea in what U.S. forces called an “unsafe and unprofessional” intercept.
According to the United States European Command (USEUCOM), two Russian Su-27 fighter jets flew up to the MQ-9 Reaper drone over international waters west of Crimea at approximately 7:03 AM (CET). The USEUCOM statement said that one of the fighters clipped the propeller of the drone causing U.S. forces to have to bring the MQ-9 down.
James B. Hecker, commander of US Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa said the MQ-9 aircraft was conducting routine operations when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian aircraft, resulting in a crash and “complete” loss of the drone.
The U.S. MQ-9 drone aircraft was conducting routine operations when it was intercepted and hit in the propeller by a Russian aircraft, resulting in crash.
“[This incident] demonstrates a lack of competence in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional,” said U.S. Air Force General James B. Hecker, commander of US Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa, regarding the incident caused by the Russians.
The USEUCOM report described a “pattern of dangerous actions” by Russian pilots around American aircrafts over international airspace. The U.S. intelligence agency said that this incident has been labeled as “dangerous” and warned that further altercations with Russian military aircrafts could risk “miscalculation and unintended escalation.”
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