The navy coalition mentioned Tuesday that NATO fighter jets scrambled a whole lot of instances this 12 months to intercept the planes, principally Russian warplanes.
According to NATO, out of a complete of 370 missions in 2021, 290 had been flown in response to Russian plane actions,
Most intercepts in 2021 befell within the Baltic area, the place NATO operates an air-policing mission to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
“Generally, the interception took place without incident as NATO aircraft took off to identify the oncoming aircraft and take it out of the area. Very few intercepted flights enter allied airspace,” NATO mentioned. mentioned in an announcement.
NATO ‘alert’ on unverified flights
NATO intercept flights are an everyday incidence. But regardless of rising tensions between the coalition and Moscow, the variety of intercepts involving Russia has declined this 12 months.
US intelligence has warned of a attainable Russian navy strike in opposition to Ukraine in latest months over the deployment of Russian armed forces close to the borders of its neighboring nations.
In 2020, NATO jets struck almost 350 instances in response to Russian plane.
Across Europe, greater than 60 NATO jets are on excessive alert always, prepared to reply to unannounced navy flights in addition to civilian plane which have misplaced communication with air visitors controllers, attributable to situations of hijackings or technical issues. In.
“NATO fighter jets are on duty round the clock, ready to take off in case of unverified flights near the airspace of our allies,” NATO spokesman Ona Lungescu mentioned. “NATO is vigilant, and we will always do what is necessary to protect and defend all allies.”
The US-led coalition of 30 nations has two air operations facilities – one in Germany, overlaying northern Europe and one overlaying the south in Spain.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
