UK Royal Air Force Typhoons Intercept Russian Plane in NATO Airspace

UK Royal Air Force (RAF) planes stationed in Poland have successfully intercepted a Russian aircraft transiting close to NATO airspace.

The two RAF Typhoon FGR4s were scrambled from Malbork airbase to intercept an Ilyushin Il-20M surveillance-reconnaissance aircraft, which was previously intercepted and escorted by three other pairs of NATO planes earlier in the day.

The Russian aircraft, which had recently flown over the Baltic Sea to the north of Poland, was escorted as soon as it left Kaliningrad airspace, and then handed over to NATO’s Danish Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) group.

A spokesperson from the RAF Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW) confirmed that the Il-20M also failed to file a flight plan or communicate with civilian air traffic control.

Airmen from the 140 EAW No. II Squadron have begun conducting a QRA as per NATO’s enhanced air policing protocols.

The RAF Typhoons are part of the UK’s air policing contingent under NATO operations.

Numerous Interceptions

NATO has begun observing a more enhanced air policing structure as a response to the increase in Russian activity in its member states’ airspace.

Last month, the RAF also scrambled Typhoons to intercept Moscow’s planes on three separate occasions, escorting a pair of Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters and two Il-20Ms flying close to the Baltic Sea.

Last year, the Netherlands also escorted three of Moscow’s military aircraft flying over the region, which also failed to identify themselves during communication efforts from the Royal Netherlands Air Force.