# Russia invades Ukraine {2022-02-24} (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** ukraine-invasion, breaking-news\ **Created:** [October 29, 2022, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972 "2022-10-29T17:49:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 143
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/2895 "2023-03-14T17:09:57Z")
Russian Su-27 aircraft strikes propeller of US MQ-9 drone, causing it to crash in the Black Sea: > **[Russian aircraft collides into US unmanned system in international waters](https://www.eucom.mil/pressrelease/42314/russian-aircraft-collides-into-us-unmanned-system-in-international-waters)** > > Two Russian Su-27 aircraft conducted an unsafe and unprofessional intercept with a U.S. Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance unmanned MQ-9 aircraft that was operating within international airspace over the Black Sea, March 14,... ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/2896 "2023-03-14T17:19:49Z")
Would’ve been a shame if the MQ-9 blew up when it was hit. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/2897 "2023-03-14T17:21:06Z")
Mod note … Noted. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/2898 "2023-03-14T17:21:33Z")
**Modnote** , none of that please. Not the thread for it. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/2899 "2023-03-14T18:06:22Z")
The new tactics of harassing a drone is interesting. I wouldn’t have considered spraying fuel. A Ukrainian drone would have been shot down. It seems Russia is experimenting with ways to deal with NATO drones. It must have been stressful for the remote US pilot. > [@](#): > > At approximately 7:03 AM (CET), one of the Russian Su-27 aircraft struck the propeller of the MQ-9, causing U.S. forces to have to bring the MQ-9 down in international waters. Several times before the collision, the Su-27s dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner. This incident demonstrates a lack of competence in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/2900 "2023-03-14T18:18:57Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > This incident demonstrates a lack of competence Actually, to me, it sounds like the opposite: it was a pretty competent action by the Russian pilot. He successfully destroyed an enemy aircraft without any damage to himself, and didn’t even use up any of his (scarce?) ammunition. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/2901 "2023-03-14T18:21:23Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > Actually, to me, it sounds like the opposite: it was a pretty competent action by the Russian pilot. He successfully destroyed an enemy aircraft without any damage to himself, and didn’t even use up any of his (scarce?) ammunition. How did he damage the MQ-9’s prop without damaging his own aircraft? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/2902 "2023-03-14T19:01:43Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > How did he damage the MQ-9’s prop without damaging his own aircraft? exactly my though. MQ-9 isn’t a quadracopter. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/2903 "2023-03-14T19:25:10Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > He successfully destroyed an enemy aircraft without any damage to himself Emphasis added. That assumes facts not in evidence. Jets don’t like hitting birds, let alone drones - ramming speed is rarely a thing in aerial combat. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/2904 "2023-03-14T19:26:42Z")
He could tow a cable. One of my friends played with other remote controlled model aircraft guys. They would tow ribbons, and dog fight by trying to cut off the other guy’s ribbon with their propeller. A metal cable one have the opposite effect, damaging the prop. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/2905 "2023-03-14T19:31:42Z")
Still tricky since the prop is at the rear. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/2906 "2023-03-14T19:37:33Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > He could tow a cable Which would be an attack on a NATO aircraft with a weapon, no less than a missile or a cannon round. FOX 0\* is just about the only attack mode available that can be credibly “oops”'ed away. \*“FOX” is US military aviation radio brevity code for firing a weapon. The number indicates what type of weapon. “Zero” is the (mythical) facetious brevity code for attacking with your airframe, e.g. kanikaze. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/2907 "2023-03-14T19:40:08Z")
Is he going to see it if I fly up behind him? Was venting gas considered an attack, or just unsafe? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/2908 "2023-03-14T19:41:56Z")
Is it possible that a jet could do a very close and fast flyby near the rear of the drone (near the prop) such that the wake created would destroy the prop? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/2909 "2023-03-14T19:44:52Z")
That’s from a science fiction short story where a jet fighter time travels to WWI and destroys cloth and wooden aircraft by flying past them at Mach 2. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/2910 "2023-03-14T19:47:14Z")
Haven’t read that, but … Is it possible? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/2911 "2023-03-14T19:52:56Z")
36’ long. I guess you could touch the prop with a wingtip. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/2912 "2023-03-14T19:53:38Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Which would be an attack on a NATO aircraft… It should be noted that attacks on drones seem to be regarded as less (threatening? provocative? of a casus belli?) than attacks on piloted aircraft. Certainly President Trump set a bit of a precedent with his refusal to engage in a reprisal military strike against Iran after they downed a surveillance drone in the Strait of Hormuz in 2019 (one of his few decisions I agree with). ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/2913 "2023-03-14T19:53:58Z")
I’m guessing the Su-24 stuck the spike on its nosecone into the propeller of the MQ-9. [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Sukhoi_Su-24_inflight_Mishin-2.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Sukhoi_Su-24_inflight_Mishin-2.jpg) [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/MQ-9_Reaper_UAV_%28cropped%29.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/MQ-9_Reaper_UAV_%28cropped%29.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/2914 "2023-03-14T19:54:28Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Haven’t read that, but … Is it possible? Wingtip vortices have crashed a lot of aircraft at low altitude. I’ve heard or read from people who said they got caught in a vortex at altitude, and they had plenty of room to recover. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972.md?page=142) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972.md?page=144)