The UK Ministry of Defense has announced and published footage of an interception last month of a British RC-135W “Rivet Joint” Signals Intelligence Aircraft in international ai…
The UK Ministry of Defense has announced and published footage of an interception last month of a British RC-135W “Rivet Joint” Signals Intelligence Aircraft in international airspace over the Black Sea by a Su-35 and…
Assessment
The UK Ministry of Defense has publicly released footage of a Russian Su-35 and Su-27 intercepting a British RC-135W Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft over the Black Sea last month. This disclosure signals an escalation in the public documentation of aerial encounters between NATO and Russian forces. The release may be intended to pressure Russia diplomatically or to demonstrate transparency about routine but tense military interactions. Further statements from either government will clarify whether this incident is being treated as a provocation or a standard intercept.