NATO warplanes face off against Russian jets in the Baltic

A time for loving and a time for hating; A time for war and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3:8

NATO warplanes stationed around the Baltic and Black seas scrambled multiple times over the last five days to track and intercept Russian jets that have challenged Alliance airspace. Fighter jets were launched from NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centres (CAOC) at Uedem, Germany, and Torrejón, Spain, and Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) fighters were sent from Poland Denmark, France, and Spain.  In the Black Sea region, QRA aircraft from Romania and the UK were scrambled to investigate unknown tracks approaching Allied airspace.

“Russian military aircraft often do not transmit a transponder code indicating their position and altitude, do not file a flight plan, or do not communicate with air traffic controllers, posing a potential risk to civilian airliners,” NATO said in a statement on the flights. 

Allied fighters from in the Baltic Sea region and in the Black Sea region have scrambled multiple times over the past four days in response to Russian aircraft near Alliance airspace.

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— NATO Air Command (@NATO_AIRCOM) April 29, 2022

Due to the quick response, the Russian aircraft did not enter NATO airspace.

“Allies deployed from the North to the South of Europe remain unified in support of the NATO Air Policing mission,” said Major General Jörg Lebert, Chief of Staff, Allied Air Command. “The quick response of NATO’s two CAOCs, demonstrates NATO forces’ readiness and capability to guard Allied skies 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.”

NATO fighters were scrambled 370 times across Europe in 2021. 80% of NATO fighter jet missions across Europe were reportedly launched to intercept Russian aircraft.

The Swedish Armed Forces reported that on Friday, a Russian AN-30 propeller plane flew toward Swedish airspace and briefly entered it before leaving the area. The incident took place in the Baltic Sea near the island of Bornholm. The Swedish Air Force scrambled fighter jets that photographed the Russian plane.

Swedish Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist told Swedish public radio that the violation was “unacceptable” and “unprofessional.”

In March, four Russian warplanes violated Swedish airspace over the Baltic Sea.

Though Sweden is not a member of NATO, both Sweden and Finland are considering becoming NATO members following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.