Dutch F-35 escorts a Russian Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer tactical bomber over the Baltic Sea. Photo, Netherlands Ministry of Defence.
Two Royal Netherlands Air Force F-35 fighter jets have detected three Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea and escorted them over international waters, the Dutch Ministry of Defense revealed.
The contact followed days after Amsterdam’s takeover earlier in December of the rotational NATO Air Policing Mission across the alliance’s eastern territories.
Deployed from Estonia, the two F-35s intercepted the Russian planes, which according to the air force did not identify themselves in two separate instances of approach toward NATO airspace.
Amsterdam said the Russian systems involved in the first incident were an Antonov An-72 Coaler transport aircraft and a Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer tactical bomber.
The second report was received in the afternoon of the same day, this time with an Ilyushin Il-20M spy plane.
The Dutch government noted that all the aircraft were escorted away “at a distance to the border of the NATO area of responsibility” after the encounter.
“This is why our people are there: to protect our collective airspace against Russian threats. As was once again evident on Friday, Russian forces are active in various ways near NATO airspace,” Netherlands Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans commented on the event.
“Our allies in the Baltic states are pleased with our efforts. I am proud of our people who were able to immediately demonstrate their value to our security.”
