US, Russian fighters communicate over Syria in test: Pentagon: US and Russian fighter pilots communicated directly in the skies over Syria on Tuesday in a successful test of new procedures for avoiding incidents as they pursue separate air campaigns, the Pentagon said.
Navy Captain Jeff Davis said the test, carried out between one aircraft from each side over south central Syria, lasted three minutes and "met its intended objective."
"This test assured that the first time this mode of communication was used would not be during an unplanned encounter," Davis said.
The United States and Russia signed a "memorandum of understanding" on October 20 aimed at de-conflicting their air operations over Syria, where they are waging parallel air campaigns with different objectives.
