Near miss over Syria between Russian and US aircraft...

[Sundog]

...but the U.S. won't say what their coalition plane was, only that it's "large framed," and based on the report has a single pilot. Any ideas what it might have been? I'm thinking a U-2R/TR-1 operating at a lower altitude? Or was it a classified aircraft?

https://www.airforcetimes.com/articles/pentagon-downplays-near-collision-between-us-russian-warplanes-over-syria

 

[Moose]

The Russians never saw it, nor detected it.

 

[TomS]

They don't say that the US aircraft had only one crew. But they do say it was larger than a fighter, which IMO rules out a U-2.

Could be anything -- more likely to be the mission that's classified than the airframe.

 

[Hanse]

Doesn't say what kind of Russian aircraft it was. Sounds like neither detected the other until the turbulence of the near miss hit.

""The Russian jet passed in front of the coalition jet close enough that the jetwash from that flight was felt within the larger aircraft," Dorrian said. "That's closer than we like."

Dorrian said the aircraft immediately made contact with one another, and officials followed up the next day with their Russian counterparts through the hotline the nations' militaries have used to deconflict their aircraft over Syria. "

 

[CiTrus90]

...but the U.S. won't say what their coalition plane was, only that it's "large framed," and based on the report has a single pilot.

Large framed + jet + being escorted by the russian aircraft (so not stealth) + single pilot...

Global Hawk, maybe?

We live in a time where a pilot doesn't necessarily have to be on board.

 

[TomS]

No, the US aircraft was not being escorted by the Russians. The Russians were escorting their own reconnaissance aircraft (possibly a Tu-214R) when the escort got close to the unidentified US aircraft.

 

[Sundog]

It turns out it was an E-3. I wonder what they were thinking by getting that close to the Russian flight, because you can't tell me they didn't see them.

 

[flanker]

Was it confirmed by americans that it was E-3? Because that is what Russians are claiming, but it would be weird to have it overfly Syria imho. Would make more sense if it worked outside of Syria.

 

[Dynoman]

True that E-3's would be vulnerable to S-200 long range missiles from the Syrian national forces. However, it would depend where the near-collision took place. Northeastern Syria, where many of ISIS forces are located, is out of range of the S-200 (depicted in purple). Here is a GoogleEarth image showing ranges of Syrian S2A missiles.

http://www.ausairpower.net/APA-Syria-SAM-Deployment.html

 

[Dynoman]

Here is another map that shows Russian air strikes in Syria as of March 2016. Their air operations do extend into ISIS held territory in the northeast, creating potential for some traffic confliction.

http://understandingwar.org/map/russian-airstrikes-syria-february-29-march-15-2016