USAF MQ-9 Reaper in Afghanistan. The Reaper is equipped with what is believed to be the ‘Gorgon Stare’ wide-area airborne surveillance system (WAASS). The MQ-9 downed in the Black Sea may have been equipped with a similar system. (United States Air Force)

A US Air Force (USAF) General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) crashed into the Black Sea on 14 March, following what the Pentagon said was an aerial collision with a Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter.

The collision occurred at 07:03 Central European Time when one of two Su-27s that intercepted the UAV struck its rear-mounted propeller, “causing US forces to have to bring the MQ-9 down in international waters“, according to a statement by US European Command.

“Our MQ-9 aircraft was conducting routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian aircraft, resulting in a crash and complete loss of the MQ-9,” said US Air Forces Europe commander General James Hecker. “In fact, this unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russians nearly caused both aircraft to crash.”