Officials are reporting that NATO jets were scrambled recently on a mission to interdict Russian spy planes who are haunting the area around military drills that NATO forces were holding in the Baltic Sea.
Several Russian planes were intercepted over the past few days by three separate sorties flown by fighter squadrons fielded by the NATO countries of Germany, Spain, and Italy, and were launched from NATO bases in Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland respectively.
NATO air command shared images with the public showing F-18 and Eurofighter Typhoon jets flanking what looks to be Antonov AN-12 cargo aircraft and Ilyushin-IL20 spy planes as they soared far above the Baltic Sea.
The Allied Air Command Commander General James Heckler said of the incidents that NATO demonstrated its readiness, capabilities, and commitment to deterrence and defense on behalf of the entire alliance. He said that NATO fighter jets are over-flying the Baltic on a daily basis now.
According to a NATO source, NATO is now scrambling alliance jets to intercept approaching Russian aircraft in the Baltic Sea at a rate of up to 25% this year above that which was previously the norm.
BALTIOPS, or Exercise Baltic Operations, is in effect from June 7-20, and involves over 50 naval vessels, 9,000 people, and 25 aircraft from 20 nations conducting maritime drills. The exercises are held every year, but on this year’s BALTIOPS is much bigger than the operation has ever been before. The expansion in the exercises have been prompted by the elevated security concerns in the region occasioned by the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
Sweden is involved in the exercises for the first time this year, following its recent acceptance into NATO membership. Analysts have said that when Sweden joined the alliance it made a “NATO Lake” out of the Baltic Sea. This year, BALTIOPS will play host to massive amphibious assault and mine-hunting teams, both of which are essential to deterring further Russian aggression in Europe, according to a US Navy press release.
