WASHINGTON — A Russian fighter jet downed a U.S. drone operating over the Black Sea on Tuesday, U.S. European Command said in an announcement.
“Our MQ-9 aircraft was conducting routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian aircraft, leading to a crash and complete lack of the MQ-9,” said U.S. Air Force Gen. James Hecker, commander of U.S. Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa.
Before the collision, two Russian aircraft including the one involved within the collision harassed the drone, he said.
“Several times before the collision, the Su-27s dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner,” the statement added.
The incident “demonstrates an absence of competence” by Russia, the European Command said. The U.S. called the behavior “unsafe and unprofessional,” and a part of a pattern of dangerous behavior by Russian pilots.
The collision occurred in international airspace, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. He added that the U.S. was consistently flying over the Black Sea before the war in Ukraine broke out in February of last 12 months. Kirby said the U.S. shouldn’t be required to “check in” with Russia before flying.
General Atomics’ Guardian drone, which is the maritime version of the corporate’s Predator B or MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle.
General Atomics
Russia’s Ministry of Defense said its two fighter aircraft didn’t are available in contact with the U.S. drone. In an announcement posted on its official Telegram channel, the ministry said the drone was flying with its transponders off near the Crimean Peninsula when it went into “unguided flight” after which fell into the water.
The U.S. is discussing salvage operations for the drone, two U.S. Defense officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity told NBC News. The officials added that no U.S. vessels are currently within the Black Sea.
The incident was the primary time the officials were aware of a Russian jet dropping fuel on a U.S. aircraft during an intercept.
One official said that the aircraft that collided with the drone was probably damaged, but initial reports indicate it was capable of land in Crimea. Russia annexed that peninsula on the Black Sea in 2014.
Two Sukhoi Su-27 fighters perform during celebrations of the tenth anniversary of the Russian air force base of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Kant, about 20 km outside Bishkek on October 27, 2013. AFP PHOTO / VYACHESLAV OSELEDKO (Photo credit should read VYACHESLAV OSELEDKO/AFP via Getty Images)
Vyacheslav Oseledko | Afp | Getty Images
State Department spokesman Ned Price said the Biden administration was within the technique of summoning Anatoly Antonov, Russia’s ambassador to the U.S., to debate the “brazen violation of international law.”
“We have now engaged at high levels with our allies and partners in the primary instance, to transient them on this incident and to allow them to know what we all know,” Price said on a conference call with reporters.
“We’re engaging directly with the Russians again at senior levels to convey our strong objections to this unsafe unprofessional intercept, which caused the downing of the unmanned U.S. aircraft,” he added.
The Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., didn’t immediately reply to CNBC’s request for comment.
The MQ-9 drone system is designed to gather intelligence and perform reconnaissance missions and is manufactured by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems.
The remotely piloted system can carry a mixture of Hellfire missiles, Joint Direct Attack Munitions, or JDAMs. Pentagon press spokesman U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder declined to say if the drone was armed.
