In a recent revelation, it has come to light that a Russian pilot made an attempt to shoot down an RAF surveillance plane, believing he had received authorization to do so.
This incident occurred last September, initially attributed to a "technical malfunction" by Russia, a claim publicly accepted by the UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD). However, the BBC has now learned from three senior Western defense sources with knowledge of the event that intercepted Russian communications paint a different picture.
The RAF surveillance aircraft, an RC-135 Rivet Joint with a crew of up to 30, was conducting a surveillance mission over the Black Sea in international airspace on September 29th of the previous year when it encountered two Russian SU-27 fighter jets.
According to intercepted communications, one of the Russian pilots believed he had been granted permission to target the British aircraft, following an ambiguous command from a Russian ground station. However, the second Russian pilot disagreed with this interpretation and expressed his frustration when the first missile was fired.
The Rivet Joint aircraft is equipped with communication interception capabilities, allowing the RAF crew to eavesdrop on the incident, which could have resulted in a perilous situation.
The MoD has chosen not to disclose the details of these intercepted communications.
In response to these newly uncovered details, an MoD spokesperson stated, "Our intent has always been to protect the safety of our operations, avoid unnecessary escalation and inform the public and international community."
Here's what unfolded in reality:
As the two Russian SU-27s approached the RAF spy plane, they received a communication from their ground station controller. According to one Western source, the message they received was effectively, "you have the target." This ambiguous language was interpreted by one of the Russian pilots as clearance to open fire. This loose and unprofessional communication contrasts with NATO's use of precise language when seeking and granting permission to fire.
The Russian pilot fired an air-to-air missile, which successfully launched but failed to lock onto its target – it was a miss, not a malfunction. A dispute then erupted between the two Russian pilots, with the second pilot contesting that they had not received clearance to fire. He reportedly expressed his dissatisfaction with his comrade's actions. Nevertheless, the first pilot released another missile.
Initially, it had been reported that the second missile simply detached from the wing, implying either a malfunction or an aborted launch.
This incident was confirmed by the UK government three weeks later, with the Russian Ministry of Defence attributing it to a "technical malfunction." Then-Defence Secretary Ben Wallace acknowledged the event as a "potentially dangerous engagement" but accepted the Russian explanation.
However, a leak of secret intelligence documents revealed that the US military described the incident in starker terms, referring to it as a "near shoot-down." The leak suggested that the Russian pilot had misinterpreted an order from the ground, and the missile did not launch correctly.
The UK MoD responded to the leaked report by stating that a "significant proportion of the content of these reports [from the documents] is untrue, manipulated, or both."
Several factors likely contributed to the UK MoD's reticence to divulge the full details of the incident. This included the desire to keep the extent of intelligence gathering and intercepted communications under wraps. Importantly, both sides wanted to prevent any escalation that could potentially draw a NATO member into military confrontation with Russia.
Nonetheless, this incident underscores how a single mistake or misinterpretation by an individual could potentially spark a broader conflict. The MoD has emphasized that "this incident is a stark reminder of the potential consequences of Putin's barbaric invasion of Ukraine."
This is not the first instance of a reckless Russian pilot targeting a NATO aircraft in international airspace. Earlier this year, a Russian jet downed a US unmanned surveillance drone over the Black Sea, with the pilot later receiving a medal – a move that many experts attribute more to luck than skill or judgment. Such incidents raise serious questions about the discipline and professionalism of Russia's air force.
Despite the near shoot-down, the RAF has continued its surveillance flights over the Black Sea, escorted by Typhoon fighter jets armed with air-to-air missiles. The UK remains the only NATO ally conducting crewed missions over the Black Sea. Photo: Cpl Babbs Robinson/MOD, Wikimedia commons.