Two Belgian F-16s intercepted Russian fighter planes over the Baltic Sea on Wednesday, NATO command said.
NATO radars spotted unknown planes that had taken off from Kaliningrad. Two Belgian Air Force F-16s took off from Šiauliai in Lithuania to investigate and found that they were two Russian Su-30 combat aircraft which were not in contact with civil air traffic control.
The interception, coordinated with the Swedish Air Force, was carried out professionally, NATO emphasises. The Belgian F-16s, which thus carried out their first mission since returning to Lithuania to ensure the defence of the airspace of the Baltic countries, then returned to their base.
Four F-16s as well as a detachment of 70 men have been mobilised for this task from December 1st until April 1st.
French Mirages also stood ready to intervene this Wednesday, other Russian planes having taken off from Kaliningrad, but they ultimately did not leave the ground.
First scramble: @BeAirForce ?? F-16 & ?? Mirage 2000, currently on #NATO Air Policing mission in the Baltics, & ?? JAS 39 Gripen scrambled when ?? fighter jets flew close to Allied Air Space
The intercept was coordinated between NATO & Swedish ?? air control#SecuringTheSkies pic.twitter.com/lNGTxZgWde
— NATO Air Command (@NATO_AIRCOM) December 7, 2023
