On June 1 – 7, 2020, NATO fighter aircraft conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states carried out three alert scrambles to identify and escort military aircraft of the Russian Federation in international airspace over the Baltic Sea.
On June 1 fighter aircraft conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states intercepted one IL-20 and two SU-27 aircraft. The IL-20 was flying from the mainland of the Russian Federation to Kaliningrad with its onboard transponder off, according to a pre-filed plan, maintained radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre. The two SU-27 were flying from Kaliningrad to meet the IL-20 and returned to Kaliningrad escorting it. The SU-27s had their onboard transponders off, no flight plans, and did not maintain radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.
On June 2 NATO air policing fighter aircraft intercepted one IL-20 flying from and to Kaliningrad with its onboard transponder off, without maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre, without the flight plan.
On June 4 NATO fighter aircraft intercepted one IL-20 and two SU-27s. The IL-20 was flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia with its onboard transponder off, maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre but without the flight plan. The SU-27s were flying from Kaliningrad and to Kaliningrad with their onboard transponders switched off, without the flight plans, and without keeping radio communication.
Related image, credit: Antanas Giedrimas/Lithuanian Air Force
