5 Key Details About US Drone And Russian Fighter Jet That Collided

1. The US uses the MQ-9 Reaper for both surveillance and strikes, and has long operated over the Black Sea keeping an eye on Russian naval forces.
2. Reapers can be armed with air-to-ground Hellfire missiles as well as laser-guided bombs and can fly for more than 1,700 km at altitudes of up to 15,000 metres.
3. An extended version of the MQ-9 has field-retrofittable capabilities such as wing-borne fuel pods and a new reinforced landing gear that extends the aircraft's already long endurance from 27 hours to 34 hours.
4. The Sukhoi-27 "Flanker", or Su-27, is a twin-engine, highly manoeuvrable fighter aircraft that provides air superiority. It was designed by Sukhoi Design Bureau.
5. Su-27s can operate autonomously in combat over hostile territory, in escort of deep-penetration strike aircraft and in the suppression of enemy airfields.

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/Lp9y6bc