What we know about the US drone and Russia jet crash

Such incidents are not uncommon. The Russian jets have very often buzzed warships of the US in the Black Sea.

A serious incident occurred when a Russian fighter jet collided with a large US surveillance drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday.

The incident has triggered a US diplomatic protest and raised concerns about the possibility of Russia could possibly recover sensitive technology.

The US and Russia had conflicting accounts of the collision between a MQ-9 Reaper drone and the Russian Su fighter jet. A Pentagon spokesperson said that the Defence Department could declassify and release a video of the collision.

Defence officials said that the drone has not been recovered, but the Pentagon declined to say whether any effort was underway to gather the debris of the Reaper.

What the US said:

According to the Pentagon and US European Command, two Russian Su-27 aircraft dumped fuel on the MQ-9, which was undertaking a routine surveillance mission over the Black Sea in international airspace. They said that the Russian jets flew around and in front of the drone several times for 30 to 40 minutes. The Russian aircraft then struck the propeller of the MQ-9 causing US forces to have to bring the MQ-9 down in the international waters.

According to Air Force General James Hecker, commander of the US Air Forces Europe and Africa, the Russian jet's actions nearly caused both aircraft to crash. Pentagon spokesperson, Brig Gen. Pat Ryder said that the collision likely also damaged the Russian fighter jet, but the Su-27 was able to land. He would however not say where it landed.

The Pentagon however added that the drone was well clear of any Ukrainian territory. A US defence official said that it was operating west of Crimea over the Black Sea.

It is not clear whether the collision was accidental or intentional. However both sides agree that the Russian aircraft was trying to intercept the drone.

The Russian version:

The Russian Defence Ministry said that the US drone was flying near the Russian border and intruded in an area that was declared off limits by the Russian authorities. It's also said that the Russian military scrambled fighters to intercept the US drone. It claimed that as a result of the sharp manoeuvre, the US drone went into uncontrollable flight with a loss of altitude and collided with the water surface.

Russia had declared broad areas near Crimea as off limits to flights. Since the 2014 annexation of Crimea and much before the Ukraine war, Moscow has accused the US of flying surveillance planes too close to its borders, while ignoring notices issued by Russia.

The ministry also said that the Russian aircraft were scrambled to intercept the drone but it did not use weapons and did not come in contact with it.

Diplomatic protest:

The US State Department summoned the Russian Ambassador Antoly Antonov to a meeting on Tuesday with Karen Donfriend, the assistant secretary of state for Europe.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said, " we are engaging directly with the Russians, again at senior levels to convey our strong objections to this unsafe, unprofessional interest, which caused the downing of the unmanned US aircraft.

"The US will be expressing its concerns over this unsafe and unprofessional intercept,"White House spokesman John Kirby said.

Is it the first time?

In 2020, Russian jets crossed in front of a B-52 bomber that was flying over the Black Sea, and flew as close as 100 feet in front of the bomber's nose, causing turbulence.

Russian jets have also buzzed warships of the United States during exercises in the Black Sea.

Military intercepts either in the air or at sea are routine and have taken place a number of times with Russian aircraft in the Pacific, especially in the north. Last month US fighter jets intercepted two Russian TU-95 bombers in international airspace off Alaska's coast and escorted them for 12 minutes, the Pentagon said.

About the MQ-9 Reaper:

The MQ-9 Reaper is a large unmanned Air Force aircraft that is remotely operated by a two-person team. It includes ground control station and satellite equipment which has a 20 meter wingspan. The team includes a rated pilot who is responsible for flying the aircraft and an enlisted aircrew member who is charged with operating the sensors and guiding weapons.

It has been used on a regular basis in Iraq and Afghanistan for surveillance and airstrikes. The Reaper can be both armed and unarmed. It can carry up to eight laser guided missiles including Hellfire missiles and other munitions. The Reaper can loiter over targets for around 24 hours. It is 36 feet long and 12 feet high and weighs 4,900 pounds. It has a range of 1,400 nautical miles and can fly at a height of 50,000 feet.