US Navy scrambled jets after Russian planes approached carrier: official

REUTERS | 29 October, 2015 17:22

A U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter lands on the deck of the USS Ronald Reagan, a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered super carrier. File photo.
Image by: KIM HONG-JI / REUTERS

A US Navy aircraft carrier scrambled four F-18 jets on Tuesday after two Russian anti-submarine aircraft flew within a nautical mile of the warship, a Navy official said on Thursday.

A US Navy official said two Russian TU-142 "Bear" aircraft flew within a nautical mile of the Reagan, prompting it to launch four F-18 fighter jets to escort the planes away from the ship.

The TU-145 Bear is a long-range anti-submarine warfare plane and a variant of the Tu-95 Bear strategic bomber.

The Navy official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the pilots from both sides behaved professionally and the Tu-145s moved away from the U.S. carrier.

Media accounts quoted Navy officials as saying the incident was not unprecedented
.