In a new episode in the Baltic Sea airspace, the Russian Aerospace Forces have once again deployed an Il-20 signals intelligence (SIGINT) aircraft to the region. The news was disclosed by the German Air Force (Luftwaffe), which deployed its Eurofighter jets stationed in Latvia to intercept the Russian aircraft; it was also confirmed that Gripen fighter jets from the Swedish Air Force took part in the operation.
As reported in recent weeks and months, against the backdrop of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, NATO and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are demonstrating their projection, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities across various parts of Europe. One of the hotspots generating the most encounters between NATO forces and Russian military forces is the Baltic.
Once again, for the second time in October, a SIGINT Il-20 aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) was deployed in the Baltic Sea, flying without a flight plan and with its transponders off. These actions automatically trigger NATO’s QRA protocol upon detecting the aircraft in international airspace, prompting the deployment of Eurofighter and Gripen fighters from the German Air Force stationed in Latvia and Sweden, launching from national territory.
The deployment of this type of aircraft by the Aerospace Forces, as well as the Naval Aviation of the Russian Navy, is presumably aimed at testing the response times of NATO’s surveillance, command, and control systems in Central and Northern Europe. These aircraft, particularly the Il-20, are highly specialized versions of the Il-18, known as “Coot-A,” designed specifically for signals and communications intelligence missions.
The reality shows that both sides continue to demonstrate their capabilities in this region of Europe, regardless of other significant deployments taking place on the continent.
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