A Russian fighter jet intercept of a U.S. spy plane over the Baltic Sea in international airspace on Tuesday is now being described as "professional," even though the aircraft were within 20 feet from each other.
The U.S. European Command initially called the intercept of the US. Navy P-8 maritime surveillance plane "safe" but "unprofessional" but later changed to "safe" and "professional," CBS News reported. The Russian jet involved was a fighter Su-27.
U.S. Naval Forces Europe spokesman Lt. Cdr. Zach Harrell declined to comment on the specific incident, saying that "U.S. Navy ships and aircraft routinely interact with military units from other countries," CNN reported.
CNN said the Navy only classifies aviation intercepts as either safe or unsafe.
Fox News reported the confrontation was the first since January when a Russian fighter jet reportedly "buzzed" a U.S. Navy EP-3 spy plane over the Black Sea. Another Russian fighter SU-27 came within five feet of the U.S. military plane, reportedly "crossing directly through the EP-3's flight path."
Fox News said that encounter caused the Navy jet to fly through the Russian jet's wash. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the exchange "flagrantly" violated international law and risked a midair collision.
Nauert charged the January incident was "the latest example of Russian military activities disregarding international norms and agreements," Fox News said.
"The smallest lapse of focus or error in airmanship by the intercepting aircrew can have disastrous consequences; there is no margin for error and insufficient time or space for our aircrews to take corrective action," U.S. Navy Capt. Bill Ellis said in a January statement about the incident, per Time magazine.
CBS News said that in November 2017 the U.S. military charged that a Russian fighter jet flew within 50 feet of a Navy reconnaissance plane, causing the aircraft to tilt 15 degrees from the resulting turbulence.
In a fourth incident a year ago May, a Russian jet came within 20 feet of a U.S. spy plane, CBS News said.
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