On September 20 – 26 fighter aircraft conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states were scrambled seven times to identify and escort military aircraft of the Russian Federation in the international airspace over the Baltic Sea.
On September 20 the NATO Baltic Air Policing Detachment at Šiauliai were scrambled to intercept one IL-20 aircraft flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad with its onboard transponder off, without having pre-filed a flight plan, the crew was maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.
On September 20 one A-50 flying from the mainland of the Russian Federation to Kaliningrad without using its onboard transponder, without the flight plan, but keeping radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.
On September 21 NATO fighter jets intercepted two TU-160 aircraft that flew out of the mainland Russia into international space and then returned, together with their escort of two SU-27s which flew out of and returned to Kaliningrad. None had their onboard transponders on, nor the flight plans, nor kept the radio communication.
On September 21 NATO fighter aircraft intercepted two TU-160s which flew from the mainland of the Russian Federation into international airspace and then returned and their escort, two, SU-35s that also took off in mainland Russia, few into international airspace, and went back. Their onboard transponders were off, without the flight plans, and without maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.
On September 21 the NATO Air Policing Detachment intercepted two TU-160 aircraft that took off in mainland Russia, flew into international airspace, and returned, and two SU-35 aircraft that were escorting them which took off in mainland Russia, flew into international airspace, and returned. Their onboard transponders were not switched on, none had flight plans, and none maintained radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.
On September 22 NATO fighter jets intercepted one A-50 flying into international airspace and then to the mainland of the Russian Federation from Kaliningrad. Its onboard transponder was off, the crew had a pre-filed flight plan and maintained radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre. While on the same scramble, NATO fighter jets intercepted one IL-20 flying into international airspace and then to mainland Russia from Kaliningrad. Its onboard transponder was off, the crew had no flight plan and did no maintain radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.
On September 23 NATO fighter aircraft were scrambled to intercept one IL-20 flying from the mainland of the Russian Federation into international airspace and to Kaliningrad, its onboard transponder was off, the crew had no flight plan and maintained no radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.
Related image (photo credit: A. Pliadis)
