TWITTER Several pictures of US F/A-18 fighter jets have gone viral

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Several pictures of US F/A-18 fighter jets have gone viral after showing the aircrafts being painted in the blue and grey colours typical of Russian warplanes. The practice is routinely used for training purposes and is in fact publicised and encouraged by the Marine Corps.

But conspiracy theorists claim there is more to the images than meets the eye, and could be a sign the US is to launch a terrible bombing campaign in Syria - and then blame it on Vladimir Putin. Russia's SU-34 bombers, one of Moscow's most deadly jets, use the same light and navy blue colours for missions in Syria.

GETTY The Russian SU 34 plane bear light and navy blue colours

GETTY The US hornet jet and Russian Sukhoi planes are shaped very differently

The photos were posted on social media by journalist Christian Borys, who wrote: “The U.S is painting their F/A-18's to match the paint schemes of Russian jets in #Syria. Standard training, but interesting nonetheless.” Now truth seekers have claimed US war chiefs are giving the jets a lick of paint in a plot to carry out "false flags" attacks on targets in Syria. Using planes bearing Russian colours, Americans can then blame the deadly strikes on the Russians - in turn giving them an excuse to deploy troops on the ground.

TWITTER Russia's SU-34 bombers, one of Moscow's most deadly jets, use the same light and navy blue colours

One conspiracy theory blog Superstation9 said: "By repainting these fighter jets, they can send them out on bombing missions, make certain they fly low and slow around a target a few times so people on the ground whip out their cellphone cameras to video the attack, bomb the hell out of something and then sit back as all the civilian videos come out on social media showing a 'Russian' plane committing the act! "The perfect set up." But US air forces regularly use planes painted in enemy colours as "aggressor forces" to take part in manoeuvres, so pilots can grow accustomed to seeing their targets in the skies.

Images show the deadly conflict in Syria Mon, March 13, 2017 Devastating images show the horrifying aftermath from the on-going war in Syria Play slideshow REUTERS 1 of 98 Still image shows Russian Bastion coastal missile launchers launching Oniks missiles at unknown location in Syria

As Snopes pointed out, the US hornet jet and Russian Sukhoi planes are shaped very differently - so a cover up would be easily blown up. It comes after the US accused Mr Putin of launching an airstrike on a UN aid convoy in Syria last month.

TWITTER The planes are painted in enemy colours for training