Our Arctic Neighbors: Russian aircraft buzz Navy ship twice in Arctic

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Pentagon officials say two Russian aircraft buzzed a U.S. Navy warship in the Arctic’s Barents Sea in early September, each coming within about 50 yards of the frigate, which had just completed a port visit to Murmansk to honor World War II veterans of both countries.

Flybys of Navy ships in international waters are not unheard of. But the Cold War-style incident was unusual enough to raise eyebrows.

Pentagon spokesman Col. Dave Lapan said Navy personnel aboard the ship did not believe the actions were hostile. He told reporters that the U.S. was still trying to determine whether either side broke protocol.

Lapan said a Russian maritime patrol aircraft on Sept. 10 flew about 50 yards off the Navy frigate’s side, as low as 100 feet. Lapan said a Russian helicopter did the same thing the next day.

“Both sides are in discussions now to determine whether the proper protocols were followed,” Lapan said. “This is a fairly rare occurrence.”

A year ago, two nuclear-powered Russian submarines patrolled off the Eastern Seaboard in what U.S. officials speculated was an effort by Moscow to show a greater military presence.

—The Associated Press