Did U.S. F-22s Almost Shoot Down Russian Aircraft over Syria?

Michael Peck

Security, Middle East

Are Washington and Moscow close to blows over the war-torn skies of Syria?

U.S. and Russian warplanes almost clashed into each other over Syria.

And almost as important, those aircraft included America's vaunted but untried F-22 stealth fighter, and Russia's Su-35.

Yet disappointment awaits those aviation buffs and nationalists who savor the thought of a dogfight between the top American and Russian jets. There has no battle—so far.

The United States has shot down a Syrian jet, and Turkey has shot down a Russian plane, but the America and Russia are just eyeing each other for now.

However, the New York Times reported last week that there have been several incidents in which Russian planes have flown dangerously close to American aircraft over eastern Syria.

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"In one instance, two Air Force A-10 attack planes flying east of the Euphrates River nearly collided head-on with a Russian Su-24 Fencer just 300 feet away — a knife’s edge when all the planes were streaking at more than 350 miles per hour," according to the Times. "The A-10s swerved to avoid the Russian aircraft, which was supposed to fly only west of the Euphrates. Other Russian planes have flown within striking distance or directly over allied ground forces for up to 30 minutes, escalating tensions and the risk of a shootdown, American officials said."