British Typhoons conducted first scramble under NATO‘s Baltic Air Policing

RAMSTEIN, Germany - In the late morning of 14 May 2019, the British Royal Air Force detachment at Ämari Air Base, Estonia, was scrambled by the Combined Air Operations Command (CAOC) at Uedem, Germany for their first Alert launch since they started augmenting NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission earlier this month. A second scramble was conducted once again on 15 May 2019.

The CAOC scrambled the RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft to identify several Russian Federation Air Force aircraft flying through international airspace controlled by the three Baltic States’ Air Traffic Control agencies. Some of the non-NATO aircraft did not transmit a valid transponder signal revealing their position to civilian air traffic controllers and were not in contact with local air traffic control, respectively.

During the event which aided the safe conduct of civilian air traffic in the region, the RAF Typhoons were supported by Hungarian Air Force JAS-39 Gripen out of Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania, who conducted their second alert scramble within two days. Hungary is the Baltic Air Policing lead nation.

All flying operations were conducted in a safe and professional manner. Upon successful completion of their mission, the British and Hungarian fighter jets landed safely at their respective bases.

Both the Hungarian and Royal Air Force fighter aircraft are deployed to the Baltic region to safeguard Allied airspace over Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and adjacent international airspace under NATO’s peacetime Baltic Air Policing mission. These scrambles are routine responses and underline the Alliance’s 24/7 readiness, responsiveness and interoperability within NATO airspace.

Story by Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office