On March 18, 2025, two American aircraft flew over the Black Sea in an operation that has drawn attention due to its unusual nature.
For the first time in many years, two American manned aircraft, an RC-135V Rivet Joint and a P-8 Poseidon, were operating in the region at the same time, reports WP.
These flights took place in international airspace south of Crimea.
The RC-135V Rivet Joint, a reconnaissance aircraft from the US Air Force, took off from Mildenhall Air Base in the UK.
It flew over the Black Sea from Romanian airspace and reached an altitude of 9,600 meters. The aircraft's route included areas near Sevastopol and the Crimean Peninsula.
Its role was likely to gather intelligence on Russian movements in the region.
Meanwhile, the P-8 Poseidon, a US Navy aircraft, took off from Sigonella base in Sicily. It flew over the Black Sea from Bulgarian airspace, reaching an altitude of 8,800 meters.
This aircraft focused on observing areas like Novorossiysk and Krasnodar Krai, regions of interest in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
These flights likely served to monitor Russian military activity in areas critical to NATO.
These operations are part of a broader strategy of surveillance in the region. Similar flights have been conducted over the Baltic Sea, with British RC-135W Rivet Joint and Poseidon MRA1 aircraft patrolling the Kaliningrad area.
It is possible that these flights were coordinated by NATO to maintain a high level of situational awareness in both the Black Sea and Baltic Sea.
The RC-135V Rivet Joint and P-8 Poseidon are essential tools for NATO in monitoring air and sea spaces.
The Rivet Joint is an electronic reconnaissance aircraft that intercepts and analyzes enemy communications, while the P-8 Poseidon is a modern patrol aircraft designed for maritime surveillance.
Together, they allow NATO to track enemy movements and gather vital intelligence, contributing to the security of the Alliance during times of heightened tensions.
