Two Russian aircraft flying close to Nato airspace were detected by British fighter jets in separate incidents earlier this week, the UK's Ministry of Defence has said.
A pair of RAF Typhoons were scrambled to intercept a Russian Ilyushin Il-20M "Coot-A" intelligence aircraft over the Baltic Sea on 15 April, while another two Typhoons intercepted an unknown aircraft leaving the Kaliningrad airspace on 17 April.
The two intercepts, which took off from Malbork Air Base in Poland, were part of the UK's contribution to Nato's enhanced air policing.
They were the RAF's first intercepts since aircraft arrived in the region to begin the defence of Nato's eastern flank, working alongside Sweden The UK's involvement in Nato's enhanced air policing is called Operation Chessman and sees personnel from across the RAF deployed to Malbork alongside Sweden, Nato's newest member.
The undertaking follows Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP.
Minister for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard said that the UK was "unshakable" in its commitment to Nato.
"With Russian aggression growing and security threats on the rise, we are stepping up to reassure our Allies, deter adversaries and protect our national security through our Plan for Change," he said.
Mr Pollard added that the "mission shows our ability to operate side by side with NATO's newest member Sweden and to defend the Alliance's airspace wherever and whenever needed, keeping us safe at home and strong abroad".
A pair of RAF Typhoons were scrambled to intercept a Russian Ilyushin Il-20M "Coot-A" intelligence aircraft over the Baltic Sea on 15 April, while another two Typhoons intercepted an unknown aircraft leaving the Kaliningrad airspace on 17 April.
The two intercepts, which took off from Malbork Air Base in Poland, were part of the UK's contribution to Nato's enhanced air policing.
They were the RAF's first intercepts since aircraft arrived in the region to begin the defence of Nato's eastern flank, working alongside Sweden The UK's involvement in Nato's enhanced air policing is called Operation Chessman and sees personnel from across the RAF deployed to Malbork alongside Sweden, Nato's newest member.
The undertaking follows Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP.
Minister for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard said that the UK was "unshakable" in its commitment to Nato.
"With Russian aggression growing and security threats on the rise, we are stepping up to reassure our Allies, deter adversaries and protect our national security through our Plan for Change," he said.
Mr Pollard added that the "mission shows our ability to operate side by side with NATO's newest member Sweden and to defend the Alliance's airspace wherever and whenever needed, keeping us safe at home and strong abroad".
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Two Russian aircraft flying close to NATO airspace were detected by British fighter jets
00:04in separate incidents earlier this week, the UK's Ministry of Defense has said.
00:09A pair of RAF Typhoons were scrambled to intercept a Russian Ilya Shanael 20M Kuday
00:15intelligence aircraft over the Baltic Sea on April 15, while another two Typhoons intercepted
00:21an unknown aircraft leaving the Kaliningrad airspace on April 17. The two intercepts,
00:27which took off from Malbork Air Base in Poland, were part of the UK's contribution to NATO's
00:32enhanced air policing. They were the RAF's first intercept since aircraft arrived in the region
00:38to begin the defense of NATO's eastern flank. Working alongside Sweden, the UK's involvement
00:43in NATO's enhanced air policing is called Operation Chessman and sees personnel from across the RAF
00:49deployed to Malbork alongside Sweden, NATO's newest member. The undertaking follows Prime Minister
00:55Sir Keir Starmer's commitment to increase defense spending to two. Five percent of GDP.
01:01Minister for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard said that the UK was unshakable in its commitment to NATO.
01:07With Russian aggression growing and security threats on the rise, we are stepping up to reassure our
01:13allies, deter adversaries and protect our national security through our plan for change, he said.
01:19Mr. Pollard added that the mission shows our ability to operate side by side with NATO's newest member,
01:24Sweden, and to defend the Alliance's airspace wherever and whenever needed, keeping us safe at home and
01:30and strong abroad.