U.S. Military officials confirmed that a U.S. Air Force spy plane dodged the Russian military by flying into nearby Swedish airspace without permission.
A RC-135V/W Rivet Joint reconnaissance plane conducting a mission in international air space July 18 had to alter its course when Russia began tracking the plane with land-based radar, CNN reported Saturday.
The Russians then sent at least one fighter jet into the sky to intercept the American plane, U.S. officials told the news network.
In order to shake off the radar tracking as quickly as possible, the spy plane crew made the call to fly into Swedish airspace.
The decision was made without Swedish military approval.
Officials told CNN that the use land radar tracking by the Russians was an unusual move.
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• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
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