Holiday Ayo - A United States Air Force jet designed to gather intelligence on enemy radar systems was seen circling over Russia.

The incident is considered suspicious, as it comes amid rising tensions between the US and Russia and fears of World War III.

Flight tracking data shows the RC-135U 'Combat Sent' took off from the UK on Tuesday morning (October 7th), flew over the Baltic states, and circled around Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania, before returning to the UK.

The American jet departed Mildenhall, a Royal Air Force base in Suffolk, at 2:32 a.m. ET and landed at 9:36 a.m.

The mission came a day after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz accused Russia of waging a "hybrid war" against Germany.

Merz blamed President Vladimir Putin for the drone attack that disrupted Munich Airport and stranded more than 10,000 passengers.

Flights were canceled during German Unity Day, just as Munich was preparing for the final weekend of Oktoberfest, which attracts more than six million visitors annually.

"He's waging an information war against us. He's waging a military war against Ukraine, and this war is directed at all of us," Merz was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.

This attack is the latest in a series of alleged drone flights over European Union and NATO airspace.

The US Air Force describes the spy planes as providing strategic electronic reconnaissance information to the president, the Secretary of War, and the leadership of the Department of Defense.

"Locating and identifying foreign military ground, sea, and air radar signals, Combat Sent collects and meticulously examines each system, providing strategic analysis to the warfighter," the aircraft's description reads.

All RC-135U fighter jets are equipped for aerial refueling, effectively providing unlimited range, and carry advanced communications and navigation systems.

These include high-, very-, and ultra-high-frequency radios, ground navigation radars, Doppler units, and inertial systems that combine sky points with GPS.

The aircraft is easily recognized by its distinctive antenna arrays on its chin and wingtips, large cheek fairings, and elongated tail.

The crew typically consists of two pilots, a navigator, two air systems technicians, at least 10 electronic warfare officers known as "Ravens," and additional technical specialists.

The aircraft record and analyze electronic emissions from foreign radar and communications systems, allowing analysts to identify and map enemy capabilities and develop countermeasures.

While the reason for Tuesday's (October 7) mission is unknown, FlightRadar24 also spotted the same aircraft, with the call sign JAKE37, taking off from the same airport in the UK and circling Kaliningrad on October 2, the same day the drone appeared in Germany.

Munich Airport, one of Germany's largest airports, was forced to cancel flights on Thursday (October 2) and Friday (October 3) evenings last week, before reopening at 7:00 a.m. local time (1 a.m. EST) on Saturday (October 4) last week.

The disruption, which resulted in 46 departures from the airport being canceled or delayed, occurred as the country celebrated German Unity Day. Munich was also preparing for the final weekend of the annual Oktoberfest.

The incursion is the latest in a series of suspicious drone flights in the airspace of European Union and NATO member states.

Airports in Denmark, Norway, and Poland have recently suspended flights due to the presence of unidentified drones, while Romania and Estonia have blamed Russia. However, Russia has denied the accusations.