US Urges Russia to Avoid Low Altitude Passes Over US Warships, Aircrafts

Russian pilots should avoid passing within close proximity to US aircraft and warships, US Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James said at a Foreign Press Club briefing in New York City on Wednesday.

NEW YORK (Sputnik) — In April, two Russian Su-24 fighters came within 30 feet of the US Navy missile destroyer Donald Cook in the Baltic Sea in order to identify the ship.

"Professional air forces do not do barrel rolls over surveillance aircraft. Professional air forces do not make low altitude passes over ships in international waters. Russia can and should do better in the future," James stated.

Prior to that encounter, Russia deployed a Su-27 fighter to intercept a US RC-135 surveillance airplane over the Baltic Sea because the US plane had turned off its transponder.