USAF is investigating the Oct. 16 crash of a Ukrainian air force Su-27B aircraft during the Clear Sky exercise in Ukraine. Airwolfhound photo.
An American service member was involved in the crash of a Ukrainian air force Su-27B that reportedly killed two pilots during the Clear Sky exercise in Ukraine.
The Su-27B was flying in the Khmelnytski region when it crashed on Tuesday, and the Ukrainian general staff said in a statement that two bodies had been recovered from the scene, according to Reuters.
“We have seen reports claiming a US casualty and can confirm a US service member was involved in this incident,” said US Air Forces in Europe in a statement. USAFE would not identify the specific service involved, but said the incident is under investigation.
Clear Sky is a large-scale exercise underway in Ukraine, involving about 950 personnel from nine nations. The USAF involvement includes California Air National Guard F-15Cs and C-130Js, along with F-15s from RAF Lakenheath, England; KC-135s from the Illinois Air National Guard and Lakenheath; and MQ-9s operating out of Poland, along with joint terminal attack controllers and other personnel.