Russia said on Sunday that a US spy plane nearly caused a 'mid-air' collision with a Russian commercial flight. Moscow said that that the 'catastrophe' was avoided when the Russian plane dived to avoid the collision.

On Friday morning a NATO CL600 reconnaissance aircraft descended rapidly in airspace above Black Sea. The descent took place across the planned route for Aeroflot passenger plane. The commercial plane was going from Tel Aviv to Moscow and there were 142 people on board, as per Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency's statement.

The Aeroflot flight reportedly had to drop 500 metres (1,600 feet) to keep its distance from the reconnaissance aircraft, which the pilots saw from the cockpit with the naked eye.

A second plane, a smaller CL650 aircraft, flying from the Black Sea resort Sochi to Skopje, the capital of Northern Macedonia, also had to divert to avoid the spy plane, the Russian air transport authority said Saturday.

"The direction and altitude of the commercial flights were immediately altered" to avoid a collision, the agency said, adding that the unknown plane did not respond to radio hails from air traffic control.

While the Federal Air Transport Agency did not say which nation had operated the spy plane, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova indicated on Sunday that the reconnaissance aircraft belonged to the United States.

"The actions of the US Air Force have created a threat to civil aviation," Zakharova said on messaging app Telegram.

"If now a catastrophe in the airspace over the open waters of the Black Sea has been averted, this does not mean that the United States and NATO can continue to risk people's lives with impunity."

The Federal Air Transport Agency said it would lodge a diplomatic protest.

"Increased activity by NATO aircraft near Russia's borders, including above the Black Sea, creates a risk of dangerous accidents involving civilian aircraft," the agency said.

The incident came as tensions rise between Russia and Western nations, which accuse Moscow of massing troops on its border with Ukraine in preparation for a possible invasion.

Russia has denied it has any such plans, in turn accusing NATO countries of "provocations" including military exercises near its borders.

(With inputs from agencies)

Russia said on Sunday that a US spy plane nearly caused a 'mid-air' collision with a Russian commercial flight. Moscow said that that the 'catastrophe' was avoided when the Russian plane dived to avoid the collision.

Russia said on Sunday that a US spy plane nearly caused a 'mid-air' collision with a Russian commercial flight. Moscow said that that the 'catastrophe' was avoided when the Russian plane dived to avoid the collision. On Friday morning a NATO CL600 reconnaissance aircraft descended rapidly in airspace above Black Sea. The descent took place across the planned route for Aeroflot passenger plane. The commercial plane was going from Tel Aviv to Moscow and there were 142 people on board, as per Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency's statement. The Aeroflot flight reportedly had to drop 500 metres (1,600 feet) to keep its distance from the reconnaissance aircraft, which the pilots saw from the cockpit with the naked eye. A second plane, a smaller CL650 aircraft, flying from the Black Sea resort Sochi to Skopje, the capital of Northern Macedonia, also had to divert to avoid the spy plane, the Russian air transport authority said Saturday. "The direction and altitude of the commercial flights were immediately altered" to avoid a collision, the agency said, adding that the unknown plane did not respond to radio hails from air traffic control. While the Federal Air Transport Agency did not say which nation had operated the spy plane, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova indicated on Sunday that the reconnaissance aircraft belonged to the United States. "The actions of the US Air Force have created a threat to civil aviation," Zakharova said on messaging app Telegram. "If now a catastrophe in the airspace over the open waters of the Black Sea has been averted, this does not mean that the United States and NATO can continue to risk people's lives with impunity." The Federal Air Transport Agency said it would lodge a diplomatic protest. "Increased activity by NATO aircraft near Russia's borders, including above the Black Sea, creates a risk of dangerous accidents involving civilian aircraft," the agency said. The incident came as tensions rise between Russia and Western nations, which accuse Moscow of massing troops on its border with Ukraine in preparation for a possible invasion. Russia has denied it has any such plans, in turn accusing NATO countries of "provocations" including military exercises near its borders. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia says US spy plane threatened to cause mid-air collision

Now, Iran media claims CIA chief behind Soleimani’s assassination killed in Afghanistan plane crash

India has signed a billion-dollar deal with Boeing to buy four maritime surveillance planes, defence and aviation sources said Wednesday, as it looks to counter China in the Indian Ocean. 
 
The deal for four P-8I aircraft follows India&#39;s earlier purchase of eight of the planes from the American aerospace giant in 2009. 
 
&quot;The deal has been signed. The delivery dates are being worked out,&quot; a defence ministry source told AFP, adding that the deal was worth more than a billion dollars. 
 
India has already deployed its original eight long-range P-8I aircraft to track submarine movements in the Indian Ocean. 
 
The navy is looking to beef up its fleet to strengthen its capabilities against submarines and surface ships. 
 
&quot;India has a vast maritime border and these planes are meant for long-range surveillance,&quot; a Boeing official told AFP, adding that a clause in the earlier agreement provided for New Delhi to purchase four more planes. 
 
&quot;The navy will likely deploy them in the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal to counter Chinese influence in the seas,&quot; the official said. 
 
India, the world&#39;s number one defence importer, is in the midst of a multi-billion dollar upgrade of its Soviet-era military hardware. 
 
The country has signed several big-ticket defence deals since Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s Bharatiya Janata Party stormed to power in 2014. 
 
Other deals have been mired in bureaucratic wrangles, however, notably the agreement to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France&#39;s Dassault Aviation which has been pending since 2012. 
 
Modi&#39;s government has raised the limit on foreign investment in the defence sector and encouraged tie-ups between foreign and local companies. 
 
Modi has also called for the manufacturing of defence equipment locally and cut down reliance on expensive imports. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

The P-8I Poseidons will help India bolster its navy as New Delhi tries to check China's presence in the Indian Ocean

India has signed a billion-dollar deal with Boeing to buy four maritime surveillance planes, defence and aviation sources said Wednesday, as it looks to counter China in the Indian Ocean. The deal for four P-8I aircraft follows India's earlier purchase of eight of the planes from the American aerospace giant in 2009. "The deal has been signed. The delivery dates are being worked out," a defence ministry source told AFP, adding that the deal was worth more than a billion dollars. India has already deployed its original eight long-range P-8I aircraft to track submarine movements in the Indian Ocean. The navy is looking to beef up its fleet to strengthen its capabilities against submarines and surface ships. "India has a vast maritime border and these planes are meant for long-range surveillance," a Boeing official told AFP, adding that a clause in the earlier agreement provided for New Delhi to purchase four more planes. "The navy will likely deploy them in the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal to counter Chinese influence in the seas," the official said. India, the world's number one defence importer, is in the midst of a multi-billion dollar upgrade of its Soviet-era military hardware. The country has signed several big-ticket defence deals since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party stormed to power in 2014. Other deals have been mired in bureaucratic wrangles, however, notably the agreement to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France's Dassault Aviation which has been pending since 2012. Modi's government has raised the limit on foreign investment in the defence sector and encouraged tie-ups between foreign and local companies. Modi has also called for the manufacturing of defence equipment locally and cut down reliance on expensive imports. (AFP)

India orders 4 more maritime spy planes from Boeing worth $1 billion

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