U.S. jets intercept Russian bombers flying near U.S. aircraft carrier: White House

The White House confirmed Thursday that U.S. and South Korean fighter jets had intercepted Russian bombers flying near the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan in the Sea of Japan earlier the week.

The encounter took place when the U.S. conducted a military exercise with South Korea in "international waters" off the Korean Peninsula, said White House spokesman Josh Earnest at the daily briefing.

The Russian aircraft, whose numbers were not revealed, were intercepted first by South Korean military aircraft. And then four F/A-18 fighter jets from the Carrier Air Wing Five were launched to escort the Russian bombers until they departed the area, Earnest said, adding the incident did not result in a significant confrontation.

"We have previously raised concerns about Russian military aircraft essentially carrying out incursions on the sovereignty of other countries," Earnest said.

The U.S. has "regularly urged the Russian military to make sure that their operations in this space were consistent with generally accepted international protocols," Earnest noted.

While acknowledging that the U.S. and Russia have "some vigorous disagreements" on issues like Ukraine and Syria, the spokesman refused to characterize the current tense U.S.-Russia relationship as a new Cold War.

"The situation today is much different" as Russia "does not have the same kind of influence around the globe that the Soviet Union once did," he said.

The nuclear-powered USS Ronald Reagan, based at the Yokosuka naval base in Japan, has just replaced the USS George Washington aircraft carrier since earlier this month. Endit