Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung
Osnabruck (ots)
Air Force: Ten times more alarm because of Russian planes over the Baltic Sea
30 alarm starts because of Russian aircraft in 2022 – a tenfold increase compared to the previous year – 2023 already nine alarm starts
Osnabruck. The Bundeswehr has recently raised alarms about Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea. As the Air Force reported to the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung” when asked, there were 30 such alarm starts last year. In 2021 there were just three incidents. In 2023, German military aircraft had to be deployed nine times by the end of February because of Russian aircraft.
However, German airspace was never violated by Russian aircraft, according to the “NOZ” with reference to information from the Air Force.
A so-called alarm start is triggered if an aircraft enters German airspace without permission or a flight plan and does not respond to radio messages. Two Luftwaffe Eurofighters then have to identify it and, if necessary, escort it out of the airspace.
The statistical increase is probably also due to the increased engagement of the Bundeswehr on NATO’s eastern flank. Since April 2022, the Air Force has been responsible for “Combined Air Policing” for the alliance. “In periods when no German interceptors were stationed there, but some from other NATO countries, the flights there are of course not included in the German statistics,” said an air force spokesman for “NOZ”.
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Original content from: Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung, transmitted by news aktuell
