Russian, US planes in near miss above Syria

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON

U.S. and Russian jets flew within a half-mile of each another in the crowded skies above Syria, a U.S. official confirmed Friday.

The Oct. 17 incident was disclosed to reporters by Col. John Dorrian who was briefing via video link from Baghdad. The Russian plane flew remarkably close to the coalition aircraft that night, Dorrian said, but added that U.S. officials did not asses the U.S. crew was in danger.

But he said the Russian jet flew so close to the larger, but unidentified, coalition aircraft that the crew could feel the Russian plane's "jet wash", or turbulence.

“We don't like to fly our aircraft within a half a mile of each other. I can assure you of that,” he said.

"There was an immediate contact between the aircraft and then follow-up through the deconfliction channel that we've been working with the Russians for quite some time," Dorrian said.

Its purpose “is to do the exact opposite of turning it into a major incident.

“It's really more intended to keep the temperature down between us and the Russians in that very crowded and confused, at times, battle space,” he said. “That's why we didn't put it out then.”

The U.S. does not assess any "nefarious intent” in the incident, Dorrian said.