Nato mal wieder....
Acts of Airborne Terrorism
Akte luftgestützten Terrorismus!
NATO Air Policing Fighters Intercept Russian Aircraft over the
Baltic Sea
MONS, Belgium – NATO radars detected and tracked one unidentified
aircraft flying in the vicinity of Allied airspace in the Baltic Sea
on Tuesday, 21 October at approximately 9 a.m. CET. Fighter jets
from NATO Ally Denmark (F-16) were scrambled, as were Portuguese F-16
aircraft from NATO’s Baltic Air Policing Mission in order to identify
the aircraft and maintain the security of Allied air space. Non-NATO
fighters from Sweden were also involved in the intercept.
The aircraft was identified as a Russian IL-20 (intelligence
collection aircraft). The Russian IL-20 took off from Kaliningrad and
commenced flying over the Baltic Sea towards Denmark. The Russian
aircraft was first intercepted by Danish F-16’s and as the IL-20
headed further north it was intercepted by fighters from Sweden. The
Russian aircraft headed south again and Portuguese F-16’s were
scrambled. At 12:53 p.m. CET the IL-20 approached Estonian airspace
from the northeast. The Russian aircraft entered Estonian airspace
near the island of Saaremaa for a period of less than one minute,
which represented an incursion of about 600 meters into NATO
airspace.
Portuguese F-16’s made visual contact with the IL-20 and escorted it
until it was further away from NATO airspace. NATO jets assigned to
the Baltic Air Policing Mission were available throughout the
duration of the Russian flight and the IL-20 was continually tracked
using Allied assets on the ground and in the air.
Scrambles and intercepts are standard procedure when an unknown
aircraft approaches NATO airspace. However, such flights pose a
potential risk to civil aviation given that the Russian military
often do not file flight plans, or use their on-board transponders.
This means civilian air traffic control cannot detect these aircraft
nor ensure there is no interference with civilian air traffic. NATO
Allies protect their airspace on a 24/7 basis and NATO tracks all
flight activities over Europe.
NATO air defence efforts are focused on stopping unauthorized
incursions into NATO airspace and on preventing acts of airborne
terrorism.
Acts of Airborne Terrorism
Akte luftgestützten Terrorismus!
NATO Air Policing Fighters Intercept Russian Aircraft over the
Baltic Sea
MONS, Belgium – NATO radars detected and tracked one unidentified
aircraft flying in the vicinity of Allied airspace in the Baltic Sea
on Tuesday, 21 October at approximately 9 a.m. CET. Fighter jets
from NATO Ally Denmark (F-16) were scrambled, as were Portuguese F-16
aircraft from NATO’s Baltic Air Policing Mission in order to identify
the aircraft and maintain the security of Allied air space. Non-NATO
fighters from Sweden were also involved in the intercept.
The aircraft was identified as a Russian IL-20 (intelligence
collection aircraft). The Russian IL-20 took off from Kaliningrad and
commenced flying over the Baltic Sea towards Denmark. The Russian
aircraft was first intercepted by Danish F-16’s and as the IL-20
headed further north it was intercepted by fighters from Sweden. The
Russian aircraft headed south again and Portuguese F-16’s were
scrambled. At 12:53 p.m. CET the IL-20 approached Estonian airspace
from the northeast. The Russian aircraft entered Estonian airspace
near the island of Saaremaa for a period of less than one minute,
which represented an incursion of about 600 meters into NATO
airspace.
Portuguese F-16’s made visual contact with the IL-20 and escorted it
until it was further away from NATO airspace. NATO jets assigned to
the Baltic Air Policing Mission were available throughout the
duration of the Russian flight and the IL-20 was continually tracked
using Allied assets on the ground and in the air.
Scrambles and intercepts are standard procedure when an unknown
aircraft approaches NATO airspace. However, such flights pose a
potential risk to civil aviation given that the Russian military
often do not file flight plans, or use their on-board transponders.
This means civilian air traffic control cannot detect these aircraft
nor ensure there is no interference with civilian air traffic. NATO
Allies protect their airspace on a 24/7 basis and NATO tracks all
flight activities over Europe.
NATO air defence efforts are focused on stopping unauthorized
incursions into NATO airspace and on preventing acts of airborne
terrorism.