Two Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4 were scrambled from their deployed operating base in Northern Poland, to intercept a Russian aircraft transiting close to NATO airspace on Saturday 24th May 2025.
NATO scrambled the Malbork based Typhoons to intercept Ilyushin Il-20M that had previously been intercepted and escorted by three other pairs of NATO aircraft, earlier that day. The previous escorting aircraft broke off their escorts when the aircraft turn toward Kaliningrad air space.
Once in Kaliningrad air space the aircraft turned and headed southwest towards Polish air space, it was this act that initiated NATO to scramble RAF Typhoons. The aircraft then turned northwest and transited over the Baltic Sea to the north of Poland, in international air space. Typhoons intercepted the aircraft as it left Kaliningrad air space and then escorted it, until it was handed over to Danish Quick Reaction Alert (QRA).
Ilyushin Il-20M known by its NATO code name COOT-A, is a Communication and Electronic signals intelligence surveillance-reconnaissance aircraft.
Once the Typhoons intercept and identify an aircraft, they are routinely instructed to then escort. This task will continue until the aircraft is handed over to another pair of NATO aircraft or the aircraft turns away from NATO airspace and it is deemed that the escort is no longer required. When escorting an aircraft in this manner, the NATO aircraft assume a none threatening position.
This routinely takes the form of the NATO aircraft intercepting from the 3 or 9 o’clock position (this is dictated by weather and the targets direction) in relation to the unknown aircraft, meaning that the position of the NATO aircraft can not be misinterpreted as aggressive.
“I was scrambled to intercept the COOT-A aircraft approaching NATO airspace. Once intercepted NATO instructed us to escort the aircraft. We escort aircraft to ensure the safety of all air space users in the vicinity of the non-communicating aircraft. At no point did the aircraft file a flight plan or communicate with civilian air traffic control, and it was also transiting without squawking. Our mission was conducted professionally and in full accordance with international law.”
An EAW spokesperson
They added: “NATO remains vigilant and ready to safeguard allied airspace 24/7, this is a clear demonstration of the UK’s commitment to collective defence.”
Aircrew from No. II (Army Co-operation) Squadron, part of 140 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW), are currently conducting QRA as part of NATO enhanced Air Policing (eAP) when they were scrambled.
Operation Chessman is the UK contingent delivering the NATO eAP mission. RAF personnel are currently deployed at Malbork Air Base and are under the command of 140 EAW. The Operation sees personnel from across the RAF deployed to Malbork alongside NATO's newest member Sweden.