Russian IL-20 flew near NATO airspace, Alliance jets up in skies
Photo: NATO sends fighter jets into the skies as Russian IL-20 flies overhead (twitter.com/NATO_AIRCOM)
Four NATO countries, along with Sweden, have put their fighter jets on alert because of a Russian aircraft IL-20 flying near the Alliance's airspace, reports the NATO Air Command on X.
"NATO Allied Italy, Germany, Spain, Denmark, and partner Sweden nations scrambled their fighters yesterday due to a IL-20 flying near Allied airspace," the statement said.
This was the first joint alert of fighter jets departing from Ämari, Estonia, and it shows "close cooperation and integration between allies."
#NATO Allied & partner nations scrambled their fighters yesterday due to a IL-20 flying near Allied airspace
— NATO Air Command (@NATO_AIRCOM) November 16, 2023
The first combined alert scramble by the flying out of Ämari showing close cooperation & integration between allies#SecuringTheSkies pic.twitter.com/O8XlX50eFQ
NATO increases air presence due to Russia's war against Ukraine
Since Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine, NATO has increased its air presence in the eastern part of the Alliance with fighter jets, surveillance aircraft, and tankers.
Since February 2022, AWACS aircraft have flown hundreds of missions over Eastern Europe to monitor Russian military aircraft.
In September, NATO decided to temporarily deploy Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) long-range radar surveillance aircraft to the Lithuanian city of Siauliai.
We also reported that NATO will replace its outdated fleet of AWACS reconnaissance aircraft, which have been in service since the Cold War in the 1980s, with a modified version of the Boeing 737 commercial aircraft. The contract for the purchase of the aircraft will be one of the most expensive for the Alliance.
