On May 31 – June 6 fighter aircraft conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states were scrambled six times to identify and escort military aircraft of the Russian Federation in the international airspace over the Baltic Sea.
On May 1 NATO Air Policing air detachment intercepted one An-12 flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad with its onboard transponder off, maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control, without a pre-filed flight plan.
On June 2 fighter aircraft conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states intercepted two SU-27s of the Russian Federation flying from Kaliningrad into the international airspace over the Baltic Sea and then back to Kaliningrad, and also one IL-22 flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad. The SU-27s had their onboard transponders switched off, did not maintain radio communication with the regional air traffic control center, and did not have the flight plan. The Il-22 had its onboard transponder on, kept radio communication with the regional air traffic control center, but did not have the flight plan.
On June 2 NATO fighter aircraft intercepted two SU-35s flying from the mainland of the Russian Federation into the international air space over the Baltic Sea and then back to mainland Russia. The aircraft’s onboard transponders were switched on, the crews did not maintain radio communication with the regional air traffic control center, no flight plans had been pre-filed.
On June 3 NATO fighter aircraft intercepted one IL-22 flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia, its onboard transponder was switched on, the crew maintained radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre, but did not have the flight plan. In the course of the same A-scramble NATO fighter jets also intercepted two SU-24M flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad. Neither of the SU-24Ms had flight plans, their onboard transponders were off, and did not maintain radio communication with the regional air traffic control center. NATO fighters also intercepted one An-12 flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad with its onboard transponder off, maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control center, and without a pre-filed flight plan. NATO fighter aircraft also intercepted two more aircraft, a Su-35 and a Su-30, flying out of the mainland Russia and then back. The Su-35 and Su-30 were flying without using their onboard transponders, without maintaining the radio communication, and had no pre-filed flight plans.
On June 3 fighter aircraft conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states intercepted one AN-72 flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia, its onboard transponder was off, , the crew had not pre-filed the flight plan but maintained radio communication with the regional air traffic control center. NATO fighters also intercepted two Su-35s flying out of and going back to the mainland Russia without using the onboard transponders, without maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control center, and without the light plans.
On June 4 NATO fighter aircraft intercepted one AN-12 flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad with its onboard transponder off, maintaining the radio communication, but without the flight plan.
Photo: MoD archive (credit: A.Pliadis)
