White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the USS Ronald Reagan -- a massive, nuclear-powered supercarrier -- was involved in a military exercise with South Korean partners when two Russian Tu-142 Bear aircraft flew past the ship.
"These Russian aircraft were intercepted first by Korean military aircraft that were operating in the region," Earnest said. Four American F/A-18s were then mobilized.
"This is a particular situation that did not result in a significant confrontation," he said.
The two Russian Tu-142 Bear aircraft were flying about a mile from the carrier at an altitude of 500 feet (150 meters) on Tuesday, Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said.
© AFP
