On October 14 – 20 detachment of the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states were scrambled three times to intercept aircraft flying in violation of international aviation regulations.
On October 14 NATO Baltic Air Policing Detachment fighter aircraft were scrambled to identify and escort one AN-72 and two AN-26. The AN-72 and one of the AN-26 were flying from the mainland of the Russian Federation through international airspace, while the second AN-26 was flying from the Kaliningrad Oblast to the mainland of the Russian Federation via international airspace. None of the aircraft had flight plans, though the crews were keeping radio commination with the regional air traffic control centre and kept the onboard transponders switched on.
On October 15 NATO fighter aircraft were scrambled to intercept one IL-78 crossing over through international airspace from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad. It had no pre-filed flight plan, the onboard transponder was switched off but the crew maintained radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.
On October 17 NATO fighter aircraft were scrambled to identify and escort one SU-27 flying without the flight plan, with its onboard transponder switched off, not maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre. The interception and identification was not completed because the target aircraft returned to Kaliningrad. The alert then was continued as a training scramble.
Photo credit: Sgt Spc K. Kavolėlis / MoD
