UK jets in Estonia scrambled to intercept Russian planes

World

UK jets in Estonia scrambled to intercept Russian planes

The Associated Press

June 26, 2019 07:52 AM

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CAPTION CORRECTS AIRCRAFT NAME – In this photo taken on Saturday, June 15, 2019, a Royal Air Force Typhoon jet, bottom, flies by a Su-30 Flanker fighter. Two Royal Air Force jets deployed in Estonia have been scrambled twice in recent days, bringing the number of intercepts of Russian aircraft to eight since taking over the Baltic Air Policing mission in early May. The Typhoon jets were alerted Friday to intercept a Russian Su-30 Flanker fighter, and passed a military transport craft as it was escorting the fighter over the Baltic Sea. In a second incident on Saturday, RAF crews intercepted a Su-30 Flanker fighter and an Ilyushin Il-76 Candid transport aircraft that was traveling north from the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad toward Estonian and Finnish airspace. (UK Ministry of Defence via AP)


RAF

AP


LONDON

Britain’s defense ministry says Royal Air Force jets deployed in Estonia have been scrambled twice in a single day to intercept Russian aircraft.

The ministry said Wednesday that the missions brought the number of incidents involving Russian planes to 11 since taking over the Baltic Air Policing mission in May.

The RAF Typhoon fighters were launched to intercept Russian Su-27 fighter jets and military transport aircraft.

The ministry said the U.K. operates “in support of NATO to reassure our allies and is a further demonstration of the U.K.’s commitment to the security of the region.”

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