The US shot down its own MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea due to a collision with a Russian Su-27 fighter
Rumours that an American MQ-9 Reaper drone developed by General Atomics was shot down over the Black Sea have been confirmed. But there are some interesting nuances.
Here's What We Know
The drone was in international waters. During its flight, a Russian fighter jet caught the propeller of the MQ-9 Reaper. The incident occurred on 14 March at around 02:03 (EDT) or 23:03 (PDT). The US military then decided to shoot down its own drone. In doing so, the Russian aircraft "was almost lost", i.e. it most likely survived.
‼️ Russian Su-27 aircraft struck the propeller of the American MQ-9 drone over the Black Sea, causing U.S. forces to have to bring the MQ-9 down in international waters.
- Ostap Yarysh (@OstapYarysh) March 14, 2023
The MQ-9 Reaper costs $10-30 million depending on the version. The drone performed routine operations over the Black Sea. US President Joe Biden has already been informed of the loss of the drone.
Before the collision, two Su-27 fighter jets dropped fuel several times and circled over the MQ-9 Reaper. The US administration said the State Department wanted to discuss the incident with the Russian side.
Source: Reuters, U.S. European Command
