Russia (Washington Insider Magazine) – On August 15, NATO Allies conducted a significant air exercise over the Baltic Sea, demonstrating their combined air capabilities. The exercise involved four Spanish F-18s, which joined Italian Eurofighters, Swedish Gripens, and Finnish F-18s for coordinated training in shared airspace.
The Italian Eurofighters, stationed in Lithuania for a four-month NATO mission, participated alongside a Spanish Army missile team, reinforcing NATO’s eastern security measures. The Spanish F-18s’ journey from Romania to the Baltics included multiple in-flight refueling sessions by a Dutch Airbus A330 tanker, showcasing logistical coordination. The exercise was directed by the Control and Reporting Center (CRC) in Lielvarde, Latvia, with support from Latvian Air Force controllers, underscoring NATO’s readiness to maintain air superiority.
Russian aircraft and NATO air patrols over the Baltic frequently come into proximity. Rare video of a German Eurofighter Typhoon approaching a Russian Tu-22M3 bomber over the Baltic Sea was recently obtained from the cockpit of a Russian nuclear-capable bomber. The frequent high-stakes encounters in the area were highlighted by the protective positioning of a Russian Su-30SM fighter between the NATO plane and the Russian aircraft in response.
Kaliningrad: A Focal Point for Aerial Encounters
Kaliningrad, home to Russia’s Baltic Fleet, remains a key area for these encounters. Russia’s Defense Ministry reported the deployment of two Tu-22M3 bombers, accompanied by Su-30 and Su-27 fighters, to patrol international airspace over the Baltic. These missions, lasting up to five hours, often involve encounters with foreign fighter jets, with NATO forces maintaining vigilant surveillance.
Russian Military Maneuvers Amid Ongoing Tensions
According to BulgarianMilitary, in a parallel development, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced a training mission involving two Tu-95MS strategic missile carriers with MiG-31 escorts over the Barents and Norwegian seas. The four-hour mission included encounters with foreign fighter jets, including an F/A-18 Hornet from the Finnish Air Force. This activity highlights Moscow’s continued military operations amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
In recent weeks, Russia also sent MiG-29 and MiG-31 fighters to intercept US B-52H bombers over the Barents Sea. In contrast, US and Canadian jets intercepted Russian and Chinese bombers in Alaska‘s air defense zone. This was the first combined mission between Moscow and Beijing’s soldiers, indicating increased cooperation between the two governments. Japan, a U.S. ally, also scrambled jets in response to Russian bombers and fighters flying over its Far Eastern regions, including the Sea of Japan.
