Italian Eurofighters and Hungarian Gripen fighters were deployed to identify Russian planes close to Alliance airspace
O NATO Air Command (NATO Air Command) released this week images of recent interceptions of Russian aircraft over the Baltic Seacarried out by Eurofighters of the Italian Air Force e Hungarian Air Force Gripens.
According to NATO, the fighters were deployed from air bases in Ämari (Estonia) e Šiauliai (Lituânia) after the detection of Russian planes flying close to allied airspace without a flight plan and without responding to civilian controllers.
Baltic Air Policing Mission Rapid Response
The operation is part of the mission of Baltic Air Policingwhich since 2004 has ensured continuous surveillance of the skies of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. These countries, which do not have their own fighters, rely on the rotation of allied air units to protect their air borders.
“NATO’s commitment remains firm in safeguarding the integrity of allied airspace against any potential threat,” said the Air Command in a statement published on the X platform (formerly Twitter).
Increase in interceptions
NATO air forces report a significant increase in interceptions since the start of the war in Ukraine, with several Russian incursions recorded in recent weeks near the Baltic and North Sea regions. Although there have been no direct violations of Alliance airspace, NATO maintains alerts 24 hours a day to react to any suspicious movement.
Allied unity and operational readiness
Joint interceptions between Italians and Hungarians demonstrate the coordination and readiness of allied air forcesreinforcing NATO’s integrated response capacity in the face of growing challenges on Europe’s eastern flank.
Source and images: NATO Air Command / X | NATO | Forze Armate Italiane | Magyar Légierő. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
