At first glance this doesn't sound very serious. However, this is something reminiscent of the Cold War.
For example, I knew carrier Jet Navy Fighter pilot who spoke in the 1960s to me about how when a Russian Trawler hung too close to our aircraft carriers (Russian Trawlers were notorious Soviet Spy ships) the Navy fighter pilots were told to Buzz those trawlers at above the sound barrier which often would blow up the boilers on the Trawlers and leave them immobile in the water with most of the crew without eardrums working and all the windows would be blown out of the ship and if the boiler blew up often it was like a bomb went off in the hold of the trawler and some might die or be very burnt by Hot Steam and flying pieces of metal.
So, when a Russian Jet buzzes our missile destroying destoyers it won't blow up the engine or boilers of a destroyer. But, anyone on deck likely doesn't have ear drums that aren't broken and many glass windows of the destroyer are likely broken out from the faster than the speed of sound concussions when they fly over the destroyer at above the speed of sound.
So, is buzzing a U.S. destroyer an act of war? Not in the old school rule books of the Cold WAR.
This is just a normal Cold War everyday kind of occurrence.
begin quote:
Washington Times-4 hours ago
A Russian fighter jet aggressively taunted an American warship in the Black Sea by making “numerous close-range low-altitude passes” and ...
'Provocative' Russian jet buzzes US ship in Black Sea: Pentagon
In-Depth-Sydney Morning Herald-38 minutes ago
Russian fighter jet buzzes U.S. Navy destroyer in Black Sea amid Ukraine crisis
FILE: Fighter jets fly over U.S. destroyer in this Navy file photo.
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The Washington Times
Monday, April 14, 2014
US warship, the USS Donald Cook, sails through the Bosporus in Istanbul, ... more >
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A
Russian fighter jet aggressively taunted an American warship in the
Black Sea by making “numerous close-range low-altitude passes” and
exhibiting what some Pentagon officials described as provocative
behavior and unprofessional conduct.
Army Col. Steve Warren
said the fighter jet pestered the USS Donald Cook with continuous close
fly-bys on Saturday while the destroyer was conducting operations in
international waters. The Navy tried to communicate with the Russians,
but to no avail,
Col. Warren said.
“The
aircraft did not respond to multiple queries and warnings from the
Donald Cook,” he said. “The event ended without incident after
approximately 90 minutes. This provocative and unprofessional Russian
action is inconsistent with international protocols and previous
agreements on the professional interaction between our militaries.”
Pentagon officials said the Russian fighter jet flew within 1,000 yards of the ship at an altitude of about 500 feet.
The
jet appeared to be unarmed and never was in danger of coming in contact
with the ship, said one U.S. military official, who spoke on the
condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak
publicly about the encounter. The official also said that a Russian Navy
ship, a frigate, has been shadowing the U.S. warship, remaining within
visual distance but not close enough to be unsafe.
The USS Donald
Cook has been conducting routine operations in international waters east
of Romania. The ship, which carries helicopters, was deployed to the
Black Sea on April 10, in the wake of the Russian military takeover of
Ukraine’s Crimea region and ongoing unrest there.
The escalation
comes just as the United States is preparing to unveil to NATO leaders a
list of recommendations on how to best ease the concerns of its
skittish Eastern European allies after the stealthy Russian invasion and
annexation of an eastern Ukraine peninsula.
The Supreme Allied
Commander of Europe, U.S. Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove, is expected
to discuss those options with the North Atlantic Council on Tuesday,
according to
Col. Warren.
Russia’s aggressive behavior is unwarranted and not conducive to an already unstable environment,
Col. Warren said.
Meanwhile,
Ukraine’s acting President Oleksandr Turchynov, is calling for the
deployment of United Nations peacekeeping troops in the east of the
country, where pro-Russian insurgents have occupied buildings in nearly
10 cities. Mr. Turchynov made the plea for assistance on Monday. Also on
Monday, European Union foreign ministers met in Luxembourg to consider
additional sanctions against Russian officials because of Moscow’s
annexation of Crimea.
•
This article is based in part on wire service reports
end quote from:
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