Wed 15 March 2023:
The Royal Air Force (RAF) of the United Kingdom and the Luftwaffe of Germany conducted their first joint NATO air policing scramble, intercepting a Russian aircraft flying close to Estonian airspace.
On Tuesday, two British and German Typhoon planes responded after a Russian air-to-air refueling plane lost contact with Estonian air traffic control.
For the first time, British pilots are conducting joint air policing missions in the country alongside the German air force.
The decision coincides with Britain’s preparations to succeed Germany as head of the NATO operation in Estonia, which borders Russia.
The Ministry of Defence stressed the “routine” nature of the mission, but it comes amid tensions between the West and Russia over the invasion of Ukraine.
Armed forces minister James Heappey said: “NATO continues to form the bedrock of our collective security.
“This joint UK and German deployment in the Baltics clearly demonstrates our collective resolve to challenge any potential threat to NATO’s borders, whilst demonstrating our combined strength.”
RUSSIAN JET COLLIDES WITH US DRONE OVER BLACK SEA -US MILITARY
A Typhoon pilot from the RAF’s IX (Bomber) Squadron, who was not named by the Ministry of Defence, said: “We were scrambled to intercept an aircraft that was approaching Estonian airspace. We identified and monitored it as it transited close to NATO airspace.
“Any aircraft that are not communicating with Air Traffic Control or on a recognized flight plan will be intercepted by us to ensure we know who they are and maintain flight safety for all airspace users.
“As a fighter pilot this was a routine business, even though I was flying alongside a German colleague.
“It is clear that all of our training and hard work paid off as we seamlessly operated together.”
Commander of the RAF’s 140 Expeditionary Air Wing, Wing Commander Scott Maccoll, said it had been “great” to see British and German forces “operate as one team.”
Earlier on, Russian fighter jet and an unmanned US military drone collided in international airspace over the Black Sea.
Two Russian Su-27 aircraft “conducted an unsafe and unprofessional intercept” of the MQ-9 surveillance drone at 06:03 GMT on Tuesday, according to a statement from US Air Forces Europe.
According to the statement, one of the two Russian jets collided with a drone’s propeller.
“Several times before the collision, the Su-27s dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner,” it continued.
US forces brought the drone down over international waters.
The incident appeared to mark the first time since the height of the Cold War that a US aircraft was brought down after an encounter with a Russian warplane.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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