At 11.30am on Friday (16th), Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets based at Ämari Air Base in Estonia were dispatched to intercept a Russian aircraft approaching the Baltic Sea.
The interception took place as part of NATO’s air policing missions, the aim of which is to ensure continuous surveillance of the airspace of the Allies.
According to the Alliance Air Force Command, the intervention was triggered by the approach of a Russian aircraft without adequate communication with the regional air traffic control services.
The identified target was Beriev Be-200 of the Russian Naval Air Force, Be-200PS variant, with registration RF-88456 (Bort No. 21 Yellow). It is a relatively new multi-role amphibious aircraft that completed its first flight in November 2020.
According to official data, more than 500 rapid alarm take-offs (scrambles) were carried out in the entire NATO airspace in 2025 alone. Air Policing operations and enhanced surveillance activities maintain a 24/7 alert as part of the Allied deterrence and rapid response strategy in a security environment marked by ongoing tensions on Europe’s eastern flank.
Source and images: NATO Air Command (@NATO_AIRCOM). This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
