The 22nd British Air Force Tactical Air Base Typhoons had to respond for 3 days in a row to the emergence of machines that were approaching NATO airspace, and their pilots did not respond to any attempts to make contact. The planes were intercepted and identified. They were Russian fighters and reconnaissance machines.
– present we stand together on Polish dirt as friends and allies from 3 corners of the European continent with 1 simple message: Europe is on the lookout for European safety – said Vernon Coaker, Deputy Minister of Defence of the United Kingdom, at the beginning ceremony Enhanced Air Police Mission. The 22nd Tactical Aviation Base (22nd BLT) in Malbork has been stationing quotas from the UK and from Sweden. This is simply a full of 300 allied soldiers and 12 fighters: six Swedish JAS 39 Gripen and six British Eurofighter Typhoon who defender the airspace of the east flank of NATO.
In the week before Easter, RAF pilots (Royal Air Force) had to choice up fighters 3 times in 3 days to intercept Russian aircraft. The first was the reconnaissance Il-20 (NATO code designation: Coot-A), which dangerously approached the space of the Baltic States from the side of the Körewiec. On the same day, the Typhoon pair had to respond to the presence of 2 multitasking Su-30SM2 (Flanker-H) fighters.
British Typhoon during interception of a Russian aircraft flying close NATO's airspace on the Baltic Sea.
A 3rd interception took place close NATO's airspace on the Baltic Sea. An unknown aircraft turned out to be Russian Il-20 again, which did not respond to attempts to establish communication with RAF fighters. usually in specified cases, the Russians besides have a transponder disabled, which is utilized to identify and find the aircraft by ground radar stations and another air traffic control systems. After the capture of Il-a, the British followed him to defend civilian air traffic taking place nearby.
The crews of British Typhoons and Swedish Gripens station and practice in Malbork. – Their pilots execute joint training flights, but on-calls are full in national pairs – explains Colonel Jacek Goryszewski, spokesperson for the Operations Command of Armed Forces. “There is no time for 1 Typhoon to be on work with Gripen,” adds the officer.
The NATO Enhanced Air Police Mission (eAR) was established in 2014 after the annexation of Crimea by Russia. Its goal is to show the collective determination of allies and the defence character of NATO. In addition, deterring Russia from attempts or threats of aggression against the Alliance associate States.
