On March 11–17 NATO fighter aircraft conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states were scrambled four times to identify and escort military aircraft of the Russian Federation in international airspace over the Baltic Sea.
On March 11 NATO fighter aircraft intercepted one TU-134 flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad with its onboard transponder on, keeping the radio contact with the regional air traffic control centre, according to the pre-filed flight plan. The TU-134 was escorted by two SU-35s which later came back to the mainland of the Russian Federation. Both of the SU-35s had their onboard transponders off, did not maintain radio communication, did not have flight plans. The TU-134 was met by two SU-27s that took off in Kaliningrad – neither used their onboard transponders, did not maintain radio communication, and had no flight plans.
ON March 12 NATO fighters intercepted one TU-134 flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia with its onboard transponder on, maintaining radio communication, according to the pre-filed flight plan. It was escorted by two Su-27s that came back to Kaliningrad later, flying without the plans, with their onboard transponders off, without keeping the radio communication. The TU-134 was then met by a SU-27 and a SU-35 that took off in mainland Russia and returned to mainland Russia. They were flying without the flight plans, with their onboard transponders off, without maintaining radio communication.
On March 13 NATO fighter jets intercepted one AN-26 flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad with its onboard transponder switched off, maintaining radio communication, according to the flight plan, and one IL-18 flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad with its onboard transponder on, maintaining radio communication, according to the flight plan.
On March 14 NATO fighters intercepted one AN-26 flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia without using its onboard transponder, keeping radio contact, according to the flight plan.
Related photo, credit: Filip Modrzejewski
