Russian fighters were raised to intercept reconnaissance aircraft of the Norwegian Air Force and the US Navy, which were discovered over the Barents and Black Seas. It is reported by RIA Novosti with reference to the National Center for Defense Management.
Russian airspace controls over the waters of these seas found air targets flying in the direction of the Russian state border.
As the center specified, we are talking about the reconnaissance aircraft Rion 3 Orion of the Norwegian Air Force, which was located above the Barents Sea, and over the Black reconnaissance aircraft R-8A Poseidon, RC-135 and the U.S. Air Force MQ-9A Reaper.
“For identification and interception of targets, air fighters from the Northern Fleet and Southern Military District air defense duty personnel were raised,” the report said.
The center added that fighters of the Russian Federation escorted airplanes and a drone at a safe distance. The flights took place in accordance with the International Airspace Use Rules. Violations of the Russian state border did not occur.
“After the reconnaissance aircraft of foreign countries retreated from the state border of the Russian Federation, Russian fighters returned to the airfields,” the center emphasized.
It is worth noting that Russian fighters regularly rise to escort foreign reconnaissance aircraft flying near the Russian border.
So, on July 11, Russian Su-35S and MiG-31BM fighters took off to intercept the US Air Force reconnaissance aircraft RC-135 over the Sea of Japan. The Russian Defense Ministry explained that he was flying in the direction of the state border of the country.
To intercept fighters from the air defense duty forces of the Eastern Military District. After he turned around and retired from the border of the Russian Federation, the fighters returned to the airfield.
A similar situation occurred on July 1 over the Black Sea, when Su-27 fighters of the naval aviation of the Black Sea Fleet were sent to intercept the reconnaissance aircraft RC-135W Rivet Joint US Air Force, after which it headed for removal from the state border.
At the same time, on July 3, Norwegian aircraft escorted three Russian anti-aircraft Tu-142 aircraft during their planned flight over the neutral waters of the Barents, Norwegian Seas and the northeast Atlantic.
“In some sections of the route, Russian planes escorted Norwegian F-16 fighters and F-35 planes from the Keflavik air base located in Iceland,” TASS quoted the press service of the Russian Northern Fleet.
Then Russian planes were in the air for more than 12 hours and flew 7 thousand km.
At the end of May, the Su-27P and Su-30SM fighters of the Russian Armed Forces were also lifted into the air to escort the American strategic B-1B bombers, following over the neutral waters of the Black and Baltic Seas. The press service of the Ministry of Defense reported that aircraft approaching Russian territory changed the direction of flight after the appearance of Russian fighters.
We add on the website of the US Air Force command in Europe and Africa published material stating that two American B-1B Lancer bombers, flying from a base in South Dakota, flew over Europe and the Black Sea. At various stages of the route, they were accompanied by Ukrainian Su-27 and MiG-29, Turkish KS-135, Polish F-16 and MiG-29, Romanian F-16 and MiG-21 and Greek F-16.
Moscow has repeatedly noted that such flights near the borders of Russia create tension.
It is worth noting that in early February, when two Tu-160 missile carriers of the Russian VKS completed a planned flight over the neutral waters of the Barents and Norwegian seas, as well as the Arctic Ocean, the joint aerospace defense team of North America called the flight an “aggressive move”.
Commenting on the statement, the Russian Defense Ministry noted that the pilots acted in strict accordance with the International Rules for the Use of Airspace.
The department emphasized that long-range aviation pilots regularly perform tasks on the neutral waters of the Arctic, Atlantic, Black and Baltic Seas, as well as the Pacific Ocean.