Russian intercept of US Navy plane causes 'violent turbulence'

Source: The Hill | November 28, 2017 | Rebecca Kheel

A U.S. surveillance plane experienced “violent turbulence” this weekend in an “unsafe” encounter with a Russian fighter jet, U.S. European Command (Eucom) said Tuesday.

On Saturday, a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon was flying in international airspace over the Black Sea when it was intercepted by a Russian SU-30, Eucom spokeswoman Meghan Henderson said.

“This interaction was determined to be unsafe,” Henderson said in the emailed statement. “The Russian SU-30 crossed in front of the P-8 (from right to left) in afterburner causing a 15-degree roll and violent turbulence.”

The P-8 was forced to fly through the jet wash of the SU-30, which got as close as 50 feet away, she added.

Such encounters are not uncommon in the region. The United States has slammed a number of the incidents as unsafe and/or unprofessional.

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