close
close

topicnews · September 13, 2024

Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea: Eurofighters take off from Laage | NDR.de – News

Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea: Eurofighters take off from Laage | NDR.de – News

Status: 13.09.2024 20:53

The Luftwaffe’s alert squadron at the air base in Laage had to be started up again on Friday to identify a Russian submarine hunter with escort without a flight plan and transponder over the Baltic Sea.

On Friday, an alert squadron, known in technical jargon as a Quick Reaction Alert (QRA), took off from the air base in Laage to identify a Russian military aircraft. According to the Air Force, a maritime patrol aircraft/submarine hunter (Tu-142 Bear) with an escort (Su-30 Flanker-H) was flying over the Baltic Sea without a flight plan or transponder. An air force unit from Lielvarde in Latvia was also involved in the Eurofighter operation.

Use of the alarm squad is not unusual

Air Force emergency takeoffs are relatively common – on average once a week in the Baltic region. The emergency squadron usually consists of two Eurofighters, which take off within minutes to check for possible threats and, if necessary, ward them off.


VIDEO: Background: How the Luftwaffe’s alert squadron works (11 min)

More information

Eurofighter of the Luftwaffe in flight © NDR Photo: Luftwaffe

Eurofighters keep taking off over the Baltic Sea because of Russian reconnaissance aircraft. A lieutenant colonel in the Air Force explains the background. more

A Eurofighter fighter jet from Laage and a Swedish JAS 39 Gripen identify a Russian IL-20M (COOT-A) aircraft. © Luftwaffe Photo: Luftwaffe

According to the Air Force, a military aircraft without a flight plan and radio contact had to be identified on Monday over the Baltic Sea east of Rügen. more

In mid-April 2023, a Eurofighter from an alert squadron that took off from Estonia accompanied a Russian IL-20 over the Baltic Sea. (Image source: Luftwaffe) © Luftwaffe Photo: Luftwaffe

The aircraft was flying in the Kaliningrad area in international airspace without a transponder or flight plan, according to the Air Force. more

A Russian IL-20 "Coot-A" over the Baltic Sea. Because of such a machine, a Eurofighter alert squadron took off from Laage on February 16. (Image source: Luftwaffe) © Luftwaffe Photo: Luftwaffe

As the Air Force confirmed, interceptors took off on Thursday to escort a Russian IL-20 aircraft over the Baltic Sea. more

Situation: A Eurofighter rolls out of the hangar at the air base to take off for the flight to Estonia. A total of four combat aircraft are to be deployed as part of the NATO mission that has existed for years for the air security of the Baltic states on the eastern flank of the military alliance. © Jens Büttner/dpa Photo: Jens Büttner/dpa

An alert squadron was launched on Friday to identify the aircraft. According to the Air Force, such missions have been taken over since 2022. more

This topic in the program:

NDR 1 Radio MV | News from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 14.09.2024 | 06:00 a.m.

NDR-Logo

You may also like...