NATO fighter jets have been scrambled lots of of instances this yr to intercept plane, most of them Russian warplanes, the army alliance mentioned on Tuesday.
According to NATO, 290 of round 370 complete missions have been flown in 2021 in response to the actions of Russian plane.
Most of the intercepts in 2021 befell within the Baltic area, the place NATO operates an air-policing mission for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
“Generally, intercepts occurred without incident as NATO planes take off to identify the approaching aircraft and escort it out of the area. Very few intercepted flights entered allied airspace,” NATO mentioned in a press release.
NATO ‘vigilant’ of unverified flights
NATO intercept flights are a routine prevalence. But regardless of escalating tensions between the alliance and Moscow, the variety of Russia-linked intercepts declined this yr.
US intelligence has warned of a possible Russian army offensive towards Ukraine over the deployment of Russian armed forces close to its neighbor’s borders in latest months.
In 2020, NATO jets scrambled round 350 instances in response to Russian plane.
Across Europe, greater than 60 NATO jets are on excessive alert always, prepared to answer unannounced army flights in addition to to civilian plane dropping communication with air site visitors controllers, for instance within the occasion of a hijacking or technical issues.
“NATO fighter jets are on duty around the clock, ready to take off in case of unverified flights near the airspace of our allies,” mentioned NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu. “NATO is vigilant, and we will always do what it takes to protect and defend all allies.”
The 30-country US-led alliance has two air operations facilities — one in Germany, masking northern Europe and one in Spain masking the south.
