Russia intercepts US surveillance planes over Black Sea

(August 11 )In recent weeks, a recurring problem has been that Russia has intercepted US surveillance planes over the Black Sea as they were caught approaching the Russian border.

	1 of 2

Monday saw another interception

On Monday another interception occurred as a Russian Su-27 fighter jet intercepted two US surveillance planes near the Russian border over the Black Sea. The Russian Defense Ministry's Zvezda broadcasting service said: "Russian airspace control systems have detected two air targets approaching the Russian state border over the neutral waters of the Black Sea."

Many interceptions have happened recently in the same area

Russia has reported at least one interception every week and sometimes even more than one in the same area. It is a mystery why the US would bother to be so active in the same area. The US has no ports inn the area. The planes are generally US Navy-run surveillance planes. The US has not commented on the interceptions.

US and Russia test each other's air defenses

The US has occasionally intercepted a Russian plane in US-controlled Arctic areas as it has approached US airspace. The US always reports on such incidents. It is not unusual for both countries to test each other's air defenses by launching such flights once in a while.

US Black Sea flights are unusual

The US Black Sea surveillance flights are unusual in that they keep provoking the Russian interception in the exact same area evoking exactly the same response. Perhaps the flights are meant simply to annoy the Russians or give the Navy surveillance planes something to do.

Previously published in the Digital Journal