The Ministry of Defence emphasised the “routine” nature of the mission, but it came amid tensions between the West and Russia over the invasion of Ukraine. Armed forces minister, James Heappey, stated: “NATO continues to form the bedrock of our collective security. This joint U.K. and German deployment in the Baltics cemonstrates our collective resolve to challenge any potential threat to NATO’s borders, wemonstrating our combined strength.”
The interception occurred as Britain prepared to take over from Germany to lead the NATO mission in Estonia, which borders Russia. A Typhoon pilot from the RAF’s IX (Bomber) Squadron stated: “We scrambled to intercept an aircraft 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 recognised 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 routine business, even though I was flying alongside a German colleague. It is clear that our training and hard work paid off as we seamlessly operated together.”
Commander of the RAF’s 140 Expeditionary Air Wing, Commander Scott Maccoll, said it had been “great” to see British and German forces operate as one team. Details of the mission emerged amid a fresh reminder of the tensions between Russia and the U.S. after a Russian fighter jet struck the propeller of a U.S. surveillance drone over the Black Sea. The U.S. called it a “brazen violation of international law” and caused the U.S. forces to bring down the unmanned aerial vehicle.
Moscow said the U.U.S.rone manoeuvred sharply and crashed into the water following an encounter with Russian fighter jets scrambling to intercept it near Crimea. However, it insisted its warplanes did not fire their weapons or hit the drone. The incident appeared to mark the first time since the height of the Cold War that a U.U.S.ircraft was brought down after an encounter with a Russian warplane.
NATO has frequently criticised Russia’s behaviour, especially regarding military activity close to the borders of NATO members, and since 2014 has implemented a range of measures designed to demonstrate the alliance’s resolve to protect its members. These have included a more robust military posture in the Baltic region and an increasing pace and intensity of NATO’s military exercises. In September 2021, NATO launched its most extensive military exercises since the end of the Cold War. These exercises, known as Steadfast Defender, involved around 20,000 troops and tested the alliance’s ability to respond to a potential attack from Russia.
Russia has countered that it feels threatened by NATO’s expansion into Eastern Europe and the alliance’s increased military activity in the region. The Kremlin has frequently criticised NATO’s military exercises and the deployment of troops and equipment near Russia’s borders. Following the interception of the Russian air-to-air refuelling aircraft, Russian state media accused NATO of engaging in “provocations”.