A potential mid-air collision between three US MQ-9 Reaper drones and a Russian Su-35 Flanker-E fighter jet was narrowly avoided over Syria’s Homs province on June 21. Major General Yuri Popov of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) reported the incident, praising the Russian pilot’s quick and professional response.
The near miss occurred between 12:33 and 12:46 PM above the village of Es-Sukhna at altitudes between 7,000 and 8,000 meters. The Russian Su-35 was on a scheduled flight authorized by the Syrian government when it encountered the US-led coalition drones. The Russian pilot took immediate action to avert a collision.
In addition to the near miss, Major General Popov reported 12 violations in the Al-Tanf area by various coalition aircraft, including F-15 fighters, Typhoons, and A-10 attack aircraft on the same day.
This incident adds to the history of aerial confrontations between Russian and US forces. Notably, on March 14 of the previous year, a US MQ-9 Reaper drone crashed into the Black Sea following an encounter with a Russian Su-27 fighter jet. The Pentagon released footage showing the Su-27 dumping fuel on the drone and performing dangerous maneuvers, which led to the drone’s loss of control and subsequent crash.
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