US re routes aircraft to avoid Russian jet: Pentagon

(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly)A U.S. aircraft re-routed while targeting Daesh in Syria in order to avoid running into Russian aircraft a Pentagon official said Wednesday.

“We have taken measures to re-route aircrafts as necessary when an air issue might be getting closer” Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters. “We do that through a variety of means where we know what is out there and our bounce base on which we operate.”

Because of a lack of an agreement between Moscow and Washington on de-confliction and safe separation standards for fighters in the air the U.S. has so far avoided a confliction by changing the course of its own jets.

Since Russia began airstrikes in Syria on Sept. 30 U.S. and Russian officials conducted one set of talks via video conference on Oct. 1.

Washington presented a proposal to Moscow for de-confliction and rules of engagement but has yet to receive a reply according to Davis.

The Pentagon spokesman declined to give any details about how many times the U.S. may have had to divert its aircraft but noted that it happened on at least one occasion in the days after the first round of technical talks with Russia on the issue.

“We do continue to maintain a high level of situational awareness” he added regarding the safe-separation of the aircrafts flying in the Syrian skies noting the need for the talks with Russians in order to avoid any confliction.

“As much as the safety of the air cruisers is concerned we are prepared to have continued discussions with them on that to ensure that at least these air operations don’t result in misshapen or misunderstanding.”

The Russia intensified its airstrikes on the western parts of Syria near Homs Lattakia and Damascus but Russian fighters have also conducted operations on al-Raqqah Daesh’s self-declared capital.

“Because the majority of their efforts are focused on non-ISIL targets in the west does not mean that they are only flying there with an exclusion of other places” Davis added. “They do also operate in further east as the preponderance of the activity shows.”

He also acknowledged that Russian fighters are flying across the Syrian airspace from west to east which increases the risk of confliction.

Apart from air campaigns Russians has also deployed troops and equipment for ground operations as a part of its enabling of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The deployment includes artillery and multiple launch rocket systems according to the Pentagon.

Regarding the Russian fighter jets incursion into the Turkish air space Capt. Davis said the Pentagon has “serious concerns” about Russian violation of the air space of a NATO ally.

On two occasions during the weekend Russian aircraft entered Turkish sovereign airspace - incursions that Moscow called a “navigational mistake”.

The U.S. denounced the violation but Washington does not consider reinstating Patriot missile defense systems that are in process of being pulled out of Turkey.

Germany the Netherlands and the U.S. – all NATO allies – deployed the defense systems on Turkey’s southern border in 2012 after a Turkish jet was shot down by Syrian air defenses. Following the Netherlands the U.S. and Germany also decided to pull out the missiles in August.

Davis said there are NATO elements in the Mediterranean and American F16s currently situated in Incirlik Air Base in the southern province of Adana would be ready to defend Turkish territory and airspace if necessary.

“Turkey also has the ability to defend its air sovereignty. We saw them with these incursions into its airspace reacting quickly and responsibly” he added.