The Pentagon’s declassified video of a Russian Su-27 colliding with a US MQ-9 drone over the Black Sea, sparked renewed interest in the tense encounter that took place in March last year. The 42-second footage shows a Russian Su-27 fighter jet spraying fuel onto the MQ-9 drone before striking its propeller, forcing the unmanned aircraft down into international waters.
This incident is part of a broader pattern of behavior by Russian fighter jets, which have a history of harassing American and allied aircraft over the Black Sea. Dating back to 2018, these incidents have involved unsafe intercepts, close flybys, and even firing missiles in the vicinity of other nations’ planes. While no crewed aircraft have been downed before this drone incident, the escalating disregard for international norms and safety in the skies is concerning.
The Su-27 Flanker, a Russian twin-engine fighter jet, is known for its role in air combat and is considered a counterpart to the American F-15 Eagle. The MQ-9 Reaper, on the other hand, is recognized for its attack capabilities and plays a crucial role in surveillance, providing real-time video data to ground personnel through its advanced Multi-Spectral Targeting System.
Despite the provocative nature of the incident, the US is unlikely to take severe retaliatory action over the downing of an unmanned drone. This is largely due to the lack of a human pilot involved, which gives the US greater freedom to de-escalate while still condemning the Russian behavior. However, the incident occurred during a time of heightened geopolitical tension, particularly regarding American support for Ukraine in the ongoing war, which has strained relations between Washington and Moscow.
As American and allied aircraft continue to conduct reconnaissance and patrols over the Black Sea, the possibility of an incident involving human pilots and lives remains a chilling prospect that the world hopes to avoid.
