At 11:30 am on Friday (16), Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, deployed from Ämari air base in Estonia, were alerted to intercept a Russian aircraft approaching the Baltic Sea.
The interception took place in the context of NATO air police missions, which are responsible for the continuous surveillance of allied airspace.
According to Allied Air Command, the alarm was triggered by the approach of a Russian aircraft that failed to maintain adequate communications with regional air traffic control services.
The identified target was one Beriev Be-200 of the Russian Naval Aviation, variant Be-200PS, with registration RF-88456 (Bort No. 21 Yellow). This is a relatively recent multifunctional amphibious aircraft, which performed its maiden flight in November 2020.
According to official data, more than 500 rapid alert take-offs (scrambles) were carried out across NATO airspace in 2025 alone. Air Policing operations and enhanced surveillance activities maintain readiness 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as part of the Allied strategy of deterrence and rapid response in a security environment characterized by persistent tensions on Europe’s eastern flank.
Source and images: NATO Air Command (@NATO_AIRCOM). This content was created using AI and reviewed by editors.
