Russian fighter jet intercepts US Navy plane, putting US crew "at risk"

A Russian fighter jet intercepted a US Navy plane this morning over the Black Sea, an encounter that lasted for 25 minutes and put put the US crew in danger.

Via CNN:

...The Russian SU-27 jet passed directly in front of the US EP-3 aircraft at a high speed, the officials said. The US crew reported turbulence following that initial interaction in which the direct pass occurred.

The SU-27 then made a second pass of the US plane and applied its afterburner while conducting a banking maneuver, which is believed to have caused a vibration that was experienced by the American crew.

And according to the US Navy, "This interaction was determined to be unsafe due to the SU-27 conducting a high speed pass directly in front of the mission aircraft, which put our pilots and crew at risk. The intercepting SU-27 made an additional pass, closing with the EP-3 and applying its afterburner while conducting a banking turn away. The crew of the EP-3 reported turbulence following the first interaction, and vibrations from the second."

WTF??

Image: US Navy