Interesting footage filmed by a Su-30 fighter scrambled to intercept U.S. traffic off Crimea yesterday.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has released a video filmed on June 26, 2020, showing the intercept of a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon ISR (Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance) and MPA (Maritime Patrol Aircraft) aircraft from NAS Sigonella, and of U.S. Air Force RC-135W reconnaissance aircraft from RAF Mildenhall, UK, both flying over the neutral waters off Crimea.
The footage was filmed by a single Su-30 belonging to the Black Sea Fleet naval aviation that was scrambled to visually identify and escort the American aircraft. Interestingly, the RC-135W was supported by a KC-135 tanker from the 100th Air Refueling Wing, and the Flanker pilot filmed, from safe distance, also the aerial refueling operations involving the Rivet Joint and the Stratotanker over the Black Sea.
Both the U.S. Navy Poseidon and the RC-135W could be tracked online during their ISR mission:
SANTO11 624125 #USAF RC135W Rivet Joint on #BackSea intel mission. 1007z pic.twitter.com/tScRGJEvsy
— nde (@5472_nde) June 26, 2020
Actually, there were multiple U.S. assets conducting intel missions in the region (and, needless to say, it’s not the first time…read here and here for some examples):
#BlackSea/#Crimea
US Navy P8 Poseidon AE6840
US Navy P8 Poseidon AE6861
USAF RQ4 Global Hawk FORTE10
USAF RC-135W Rivet Joint SANTO11 pic.twitter.com/CPaIJQjAO4
— Manu Gómez (@GDarkconrad) June 26, 2020
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The RC-135W, registration 62-1425, was also photographed from the ground overflying the Netherlands on its way back to RAF Mildenhall:
I spotted 🇺🇸United States Air Force Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joint reg. 62-1425 again – #SANTO11 returning from Black Sea ops 👇🏻👍🏻#potn https://t.co/kgHXJv6T1M pic.twitter.com/rTW5x5nUbG
— Soesterberg Air Base Spotter (@EHSBspotter) June 26, 2020
H/T Lasse Holmstrom for the heads-up
