A second video has surfaced of a Russian spy-hunting plane buzzing the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier in the West Pacific, this time giving an aerial perspective.
The flyby, which occurred under escort by United States fighter jets, sparked discussion among aviation enthusiasts. The U.S. Pacific Fleet called the encounter “safe and professional.”
Newsweek reached out to the Russian Ministry of Defense by email with a request for comment.
Why It Matters
Homeported in San Diego, the nuclear-powered Carl Vinson is one of the U.S.’s 11 nuclear-powered supercarriers. It houses around 90 aircraft onboard, including the F-35C Lightning II, the U.S. Navy’s most-capable fighter jet.
The initial video, shared to Instagram on March 24 by the account @ryans_warbirds, showed a Russian Il-38N maritime patrol flying low off the starboard side of the Carl Vinson. It was intercepted by an F-35C and an F/A-18F, which accompanied the Russian turboprop on its pass.
What To Know
On Saturday, the account @ryans_warbirds uploaded additional footage. This clip shows Il-38N’s left propeller and the escorting F-35 as the planes fly past the 1,092-foot flattop down below.
The account shared a message purportedly shared by a friend attached to the carrier: “We were sailing pretty close to Russia, so for them to send a recon plane this close makes sense. And of course we had it well escorted.”
Under the previous video, @ryans_warbirds said the encounter had taken place a few miles off Russia’s coast and that Russian planes and been “buzzing us all week.”
The Carl Vinson-led Carrier Strike Group 1 on March 13 trained with the U.S. and South Korean air forces as part of the allies’ annual Freedom Shield exercises, the U.S. Seventh Fleet said in a statement.
The carrier arrived in Guam on March 24 before redeploying to the Middle East amid ongoing U.S. air strikes against the Houthis in Yemen.
What People Are Saying
A spokesperson for the U.S. Pacific Fleet told Newsweek on Thursday: “During its time in the Western Pacific, the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group has conducted safe operations, improved interoperability and engagement with allies and partners, and demonstrated the combat power and flexibility of U.S. naval forces in the region.”
What Happens Next
The U.S. Navy has tasked the USS Nimitz to replace the Carl Vinson in the Pacific. It is likely to be the final deployment for the Nimitz, which entered service five decades ago.
It remains to be seen whether the ship will have similar brushes with Russian air power during its Sea of Japan operations.
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