The U.S. Navy launched four armed fighter jets to intercept two Russian Tu-142 Bear aircraft that were flying near the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan in the Pacific Ocean, the Navy said Thursday.
The four F/A-18 fighter jets were sent as “standard operating procedure” to escort planes flying near Navy ships, according to a Navy statement.
The Russian aircraft came within one nautical mile and were flying at 500 feet in altitude while the 100,000-ton warship was participating in a bilateral training exercise with South Korea on Tuesday.
The Navy said a ship escorting the Reagan during exercises near the Korean Peninsula hailed the Russian planes but did not get a response.
“The Navy said a ship escorting the Reagan during exercises near the Korean Peninsula hailed the Russian planes but did not get a response.”
The incident is of concern due to it being a Russian violation of the protocols designed to avoid conflicts and accidents. The Russian failure to establish communications with the air traffic controller managing the air space and air traffic around the aircraft carrier task force risks mid-air collisions. Such behavior is regarded as unnecessary, unprofessional, and threatening conduct.
“....two Russian Tu-142 Bear aircraft...came within one nautical mile and were flying at 500 feet in altitude...”
They’re lucky someone didn’t knock them out of the sky with a baseball bat!