A Russian fighter jet 'buzzed' a US surveillance aircraft passing within 20 feet when it intercepted its target over the Black Sea.
The Su-27 Flanker passed dangerously close to the Boeing RC-135 which was 30 miles from the Russian coast while flying over international waters.
According to US officials, the Russian jet drew alongside the surveillance aircraft before turning away violently and hitting it with the jet blast from its engines.
A Russian SU-27 Flanker, file photo, passed within 20 feet of the US surveillance aircraft on Monday
The Russians intercepted the Boeing RC-135, file photo, which was flying over international waters
This 'disturbed the controllability' of the larger aircraft.
Navy Captain Daniel Hernandez, chief spokesman of the US European Command told the Washington Free Beacon: ' On Jan. 25 an RC-135 aircraft flying a routine route in international airspace over the Black Sea was intercepted by a Russian Su-27 in an unsafe and unprofessional manner.
'We are looking into the issue.'
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The Boeing RC-135 carries state-of-the-art signals intelligence equipment onboard according to the US airforce is able to 'detect, identify and geolocate signals throughout the electromagnetic spectrum'.
As well as three pilots and two navigators, the aircraft carries electronic warfare officers and intelligence officers.
The high-tech surveillance equipment enables the operators to collect mobile phone and radio data from a target area.
There are a rising number of complaints of Russian military aircraft flying in a belligerent fashion over international waters.
In October 2015, the US Navy scrambled four F/A-18s when two Russian Tu-142 Bear aircraft approached the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier while it was operating off the Korean peninsula.
The two Russian surveillance aircraft were flying at a height of just 500 feet and did not respond to any radio messages.
The FA-18s intercepted the Russian aircraft when they approached within a mile of the US aircraft carrier.
The issue of interceptions is especially tense at present because both Russia and the United States are conducting air operations over Syria. The two nations have signed 'a memorandum of understanding' to prevent any 'accidents' while over Syrian territory.
The Russians have dramatically improved their anti-aircraft capability in Syria since a Turkish F-16 shot down one of their Su-24s in November 2015. The Turkish military claimed the Russian jet had encroached its airspace.
