Boeing P-8 Poseidon nearly crashes into Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter over Syria

Deputy head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria, Captain Oleg Ignasyuk, said that a pro-American coalition aircraft almost collided with a Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jet of the Russian Aerospace Forces. The incident took place over the Mediterranean Sea.

According to Ignasyuk, the Russian fighter was making a scheduled flight when a Boeing P-8 Poseidon patrol anti-submarine aircraft approached the Russian aircraft. The manoeuvre happened at a dangerous distance, the official said. However, the Su-35 pilot responded professionally to the approach of the Boeing P-8 Poseidon.

"The Russian pilot demonstrated high professionalism and took necessary measures in a timely manner to prevent a collision," Oleg Ignasyuk said.

This is not the first time when pro-American coalition aircraft approach Russian warplanes.

• On September 26, an M-9 drone of the pro-American coalition came dangerously close to a Russian Su-34 aircraft in the skies over the Idlib de-escalation zone in Syria.
• On September 17, an MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle approached a Russian Su-35.
• On August 17, in the At-Tanf area of ​​the Syrian province of Homs, an F/A-18 coalition fighter came dangerously close to an An-30 aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces at an altitude of 6,700 meters.

There are a total of 24 American bases in Syria, as well as four points of military presence.

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The Boeing P-8 Poseidon is an American maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft developed and produced by Boeing Defense, Space & Security. It was developed for the United States Navy (USN) as a derivative of the civilian Boeing 737-800 airliner. The P-8 operates in anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASUW), and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) roles. It is armed with torpedoes, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and other weapons, can drop and monitor sonobuoys, and can operate in conjunction with other assets, including the Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton maritime surveillance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

The Sukhoi Su-35 (NATO reporting name: Flanker-E/M) is the designation for two improved derivatives of the Su-27 air-defence fighter. They are single-seat, twin-engine, supermaneuverable air superiority fighters, designed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau and built by Sukhoi. The type was originally developed by the Soviet Union from the Su-27 and was known as the Su-27M. It incorporated canards and a multi-function radar giving it multi-role capabilities. The first prototype made its maiden flight in June 1988. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union Sukhoi re-designated it as the Su-35 to attract export orders. Fourteen aircraft were produced and used for tests and demonstrations; one example had thrust-vectoring engines and was in turn redesignated the Su-37. A sole Su-35UB two-seat trainer was also built in the late 1990s that resembled the Su-30MK family.