State Partnership Program

Video by Petty Officer 1st Class Jonathan Nelson

Unsafe Unprofessional Interception of a U.S. Navy P8 by Russian SU-35s over the Mediterranean Sea

U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet

May 26, 2020 | 0:11

MEDITERRANEAN SEA (May 26, 2020) Two Russian Su-35 aircraft unsafely intercept a P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft assigned to U.S. 6th Fleet over the Mediterranean Sea May 26, 2020. The intercept was determined to be unsafe and unprofessional due to the Russian pilots taking close station on each wing of the P-8A simultaneously, restricting the P-8A’s ability to safely maneuver, and lasted a total of 64 minutes. U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.