RAF Typhoon jets scramble to intercept five Russian planes from Putin’s air force near Nato airspace over the Baltic states in just two days
- Typhoons at Amari Air Base, Estonia, were launched on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week
- The RAF fighter jets were sent to escort Russian military transport aircraft flying close to Estonian territory
- The operations are a routine part of NATO air policing around Estonia, according to the Royal Air Force
- It marks the 15th and 16th times RAF fighters at Amari have been launched since they took over the NATO air policing mission on May 3
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Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets have intercepted a fifth Russian military aircraft in the last two days.
Typhoon fighter jets operating from Ämari Air Base in Estonia were sent to escort Russian military transport aircraft from Putin’s airforce away from Estonian territory, in what the RAF says is a routine part of NATO air policing operations.
Today the Typhoons intercepted a Russian Tupolev TU-134 ‘Crusty’ transport aircraft flying close to Estonian airspace.
Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets have intercepted a fifth Russian military aircraft in the last two days (pictured: intercepted Russian Tupolev TU-134 ‘Crusty’ transport aircraft)
Typhoon fighter jets operating from Ämari Air Base in Estonia were sent to escort Russian military transport aircraft away from Estonian territory (pictured: RAF typhoon intercepting Russian Tupolev TU-134 ‘Crusty’ transport aircraft)
The fighter jets yesterday intercepted a Russian Antonov AN-26 ‘Curl’ transport aircraft.
Following this and on the same mission, the fighters later diverted to intercept a Russian TU-142 ‘Bear’ Bomber and two SU-27B ‘Flanker’ fighters.
The recent missions are a routine part of NATO air policing operations around Estonia, which is a member of the military alliance.
A Typhoon pilot from XI(Fighter) Squadron, attached to 121 Expeditionary Air Wing , was conducting Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) duty when Monday’s scramble was called.
The fighters on Tuesday diverted to intercept a Russian TU-142 ‘Bear’ Bomber (pictured)
The fighter jets yesterday intercepted a Russian Antonov AN-26 ‘Curl’ transport aircraft (pictured)
The recent missions are a routine part of NATO air policing operations around Estonia, which is a member of the military alliance (Pictured: Russian Antonov AN-26 ‘Curl’ transport aircraft, intercepted on Tuesday)
He said: ‘We were scrambled to intercept a Russian AN-26 aircraft routing west close to Estonian airspace. Once complete with this task, a second task was initiated to intercept a group of contacts operating to the south close to Lithuanian airspace.
‘These aircraft transiting the Baltic region were not on a recognised flight plan or communicating with Air Traffic Control. In the end, the intercept was uneventful and conducted in a professional manner throughout.’
These were the fifteenth and sixteenth QRA scrambles resulting in intercepts since the RAF took over enhanced Air Policing (eAP) from the German Air Force on 3 May 2019 as part of Baltic Air Policing.
These were the fifteenth and sixteenth QRA scrambles resulting in intercepts since the RAF took over enhanced Air Policing (eAP) from the German Air Force on 3 May 2019 as part of Baltic Air Policing (Pictured: two SU-27B ‘Flanker’ fighters intercepted yesterday)