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  • WIADOMOŚCI

Finland and Sweden scramble fighter jets against Russia. First such instance

Finnish F/A-18 Hornet
Photo. Jerry Gunner/flickr/CC BY 2.0.

Finnish F/A-18 Hornet and Swedish JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets were scrambled to intercept and identify Russian military aircraft over the Gulf of Finland. This was the first instance of such a mobilisation.

The fighters were scrambled on Thursday, 24 September; the air forces of Finland and Sweden reported the mobilisation. Three Russian aircraft were identified in international airspace: one Tu-134 transport aircraft and two fighter jets: a MiG-31 and a Su-30. This was the first such mission conducted since the Quick Reaction Alert cooperation between Finland and Sweden was announced in August, aimed at monitoring and protecting Finnish territorial integrity.

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Under the agreement, the Finnish Air Operations Centre has been granted the use of Swedish fighters, which, although scrambled from Sweden, can also operate from airfields in Finland.

The Swedish Navy has also joined the effort to protect the Finnish border. Should the need arise, an anti-drone unit is to be deployed to Finland.

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