RAF fighter jets scrambled to intercept Russian Il-20 spy plane in Baltic

RAF Typhoon jets were scrambled to intercept a Russian spy plane flying close to Estonian airspace.
The two RAF planes, which are currently policing the Baltic skies, were alerted after the Russian Ilyushin IL-20 Coot surveillance aircraft was spotted.
The incident took place in international airspace.
express

Canadian CF-18s intercept Russian IL-20 over Lithuania

Two RCAF CF-18 Hornet pilots on a routine training mission over Lithuania Saturday were redirected because the Russians were coming.
And soon, the Russians were right over top of them.
Canadian fighter jets intercepted a Russian spy plane inside NATO air space, military sources said Saturday in nearby Lithuania.
The CF-18 Hornets were part conducting a routine training mission and were “re-tasked airborne in response to a non-NATO aircraft off the Baltic coast” early Saturday afternoon. The CF-18s intercepted and visually identified a Russian Federation Air Force (RFAF) Ilyushin Il-20 COOT A Lithuanian airspace and over international waters.
They got photographic proof, too.
From there the RCAF jets “shadowed the Il-20 for approximately five minutes before being ordered to return to base by NATO controllers”.
That type of plane is used by the Russian Air Force for electronic warfare and as a surveillance platform”.
The Royal Canadian Air Force is also currently flying CF-18s over the skies of Iraq as well as part of the targeting of ISIL targets.
torontosun

NATO F-16 Jets Intercept Russian IL-20 Spy Plane, Latvia Says

NATO F-16s based in the Baltic region intercepted a Russian IL-20 surveillance plane, Latvia’s army said today. The encounter took place near Latvia’s territorial waters, it said. Ukraine’s military said Russia’s airforce had put some of its units on high alert.
The increased activity coincides with wrangling between Russia, the U.S. and the European Union over the future of Ukraine, where a September cease-fire is wobbling. NATO tracked Russian military planes that included fighter jets, long-range bombers and tankers over the Baltic region, the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean for three days in late October.
Russian Air Force command put units of military transport planes near the Moscow and Ryazan regions on high alert, Ukrainian military spokesman told reporters today in Kiev. IL-76 transport planes may be used to bring troops and equipment to Ukraine’s border, he said.
NATO says interceptions in 2014 have now reached 100, three times last year’s total. The alliance pledged in September to bolster the defenses of frontline states in eastern Europe in response to Russian actions in Ukraine.
bloomberg

NATO Fighters scrambled as Russian spy plane violates Estonian air space

A Russian intelligence aircraft briefly crossed into NATO airspace earlier this week, NATO said Wednesday.
The NATO’s radars detected an unidentified plane flying near NATO airspace in the Baltic Sea at about 9 a.m. CET on Tuesday. Danish F-16 fighter jets were scrambled, as were Portuguese F-16s that were part of NATO’s air policing mission over the Baltics. They were assisted by fighters from Sweden.
The Russian plane, an IL-20 intelligence collection aircraft, took off from Kaliningrad and flew over the Baltic Sea toward Denmark, NATO said, and it was met by aircraft from the three nations. As the IL-20 turned and headed south, it began approaching the airspace of Estonia, a NATO member.
The Russian aircraft entered Estonian airspace near the island of Saaremaa for less than one minute, an incursion of about 600 meters, NATO said. Portuguese F-16s made visual contact with the IL-20 and escorted it away from NATO airspace.
Russian officials denied the assertion. The Russian Defense Ministry told local news agencies that the plane had not violated Estonian airspace and was on a routine training mission from Kaliningrad in international airspace.
It’s standard procedure for NATO planes to scramble and intercept any unknown aircraft that approach NATO airspace. The Alliance said in a statement Wednesday that such flights are potentially dangerous, because Russian military planes often don't file flight plans or use their onboard transponders, leaving civilian air traffic control operators unable detect them or ensure they don't interfere with civilian air traffic.
wsj

U.S. Air Force F-15C jets intercept Russian spyplane over the Baltic

According to the Latvia’s Military, the U.S. Air Force F-15C deployed to Lithuania, to provide Air Policing in the Baltics region, intercepted an Il-20 spyplane.
Russian Air Force missions in the area often requires NATO jet fighters to perform Alert Scrambles, to intercept Il-20 spyplanes, Tu-22M Backfire bombers and Su-27 fighter jets. Such close encounters have become a bit more frequent since Russian invasion of Crimea and subsequent international crisis over Ukraine.
On Feb. 24, two F-15Cs taking part to a flyby in Estonia were diverted to intercept a Russian plane before overflying the city of Pärnu.
On Apr. 25, two Tu-95H bombers were intercepted by RAF Typhoons, Dutch and Danish F-16s during a long range patrol around UK.
Via theaviationist

Turkey scrambles fighter jets to intercept Russian aircraft

Turkey scrambled eight F-16 fighter jets to intercept a Russian IL-20 over the Black Sea coast when the Russian military plane began flying parallel to Turkish airspace.
The incident took place following mounting tension between Russia and Ukraine on the Crimean peninsula.
todayszaman

Turkey Intercepts Russian Military Plane

Turkish fighter jets intercepted a Russian military plane in international airspace over the Black Sea.
“Two F-16 jets were scrambled to prevent a potential violation of (Turkish airspace)” after the Ilyushin II-20 plane was detected flying in parallel to Turkish coast, the general staff said in a statement about Tuesday’s incident.
Turkish jets intercepted the plane off the port city of Ordu on the Black Sea coast and monitored its flight from the Georgian border in the east through to the Bulgarian border.
It was not immediately clear why the Russian plane approached Turkish airspace. Such air incidents between the two countries are rare.
defensenews

Latvia Sounds Alarm Over Russian Warplane Flights

Latvia’s defense minister on Wednesday slammed frequent flights by Russian warplanes near the country’s airspace.
Flights by Russian Air Force aircraft are not only a show of force but also part of a military training program, Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks said in an interview broadcast on Latvian TV Wednesday.
“We cannot treat this lightly,” he said. “Obviously, they are not flying there just for the fun of it – because they have nothing better to do.”
On Monday NATO fighters that police Baltic airspace identified eight Russian warplanes flying close to the border of Latvia’s territorial waters, one Il-70 transport aircraft, two Su-24 fighter jets and five Su-34 fighters, the Latvian National Armed Forces press service said.
Last Friday, NATO jets spotted a Russian Il-20 aircraft near the Latvian border.
Despite the widespread media coverage of these concerns there has been no official response from the Russian Defense Ministry.
Since March 2004, when the Baltic States joined NATO, a round-the-clock mission to police Baltic airspace has been conducted on a three to four-month rotation basis from Lithuania's First Air Base in Zokniai, near the northern city of Šiauliai. Deployments usually comprise four fighter planes and between 50 and 100 support personnel.
rian