A Russian Su-27 fighter jet struck the propeller of a US military "Reaper" surveillance drone, causing it to crash into the Black Sea in an incident condemned as "reckless' by the US military.
Key points:
Two Russian fighter jets moved to intercept an unmanned US 'Reaper' drone and one collided with the drone's propeller
US officials say the surveillance drone was conducting 'routine operations' in international airspace
Russia is yet to comment on the incident
Two Russian Su-27 jets carried out the intercept of the American spy drone, before one of them collided with it.
Several times before the collision, the Russian fighter jets dumped fuel on the MQ-9 and flew in front of it in unsafe manoeuvres, the US military said in a statement.
The US said the drone was conducting a routine operation in international airspace when two Russian jets tried to intercept it.
"Our MQ-9 aircraft was conducting routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian aircraft, resulting in a crash and complete loss of the MQ-9," US Air Force General James Hecker, who overseas the US Air Force in the region, said in a statement.
"In fact, this unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russians nearly caused both aircraft to crash."
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said President Joe Biden was briefed about the incident.
"The State Department will be speaking directly with their Russian counterparts, and expressing our concerns over this unsafe and unprofessional intercept," Mr Kirby said.
While there have been other such intercepts, Mr Kirby said, this one was noteworthy because it caused the downing of a US aircraft.
"So it's unique in that regard," Mr Kirby said, nothing the State Department will reach out and make US concerns over the drone known to Russian officials.
There was no immediate comment from Moscow.
NATO's top military commander briefed allies on the incident.
The US military said the incident followed a pattern of dangerous behaviour by Russian pilots operating near aircraft flown by the US and its allies, including over the Black Sea.
The Black Sea lies between Europe and Asia and is bordered by Russia and Ukraine among other countries.
https://www.abc. net.au/news/2023-03-15/russian-fighter-jet-collides-us-drone-over-black-sea/102095798