LONDON — British fighter jets intercepted two Russian aircraft flying near NATO airspace this week in the first such scrambles under Operation CHESSMAN, the UK’s Ministry of Defence said Sunday.
Two Royal Air Force Typhoons took off from Malbork Air Base in eastern Poland on Tuesday to intercept a Russian Ilyushin Il-20M “Coot-A” intelligence plane flying over the Baltic Sea. Another pair of Typhoons was scrambled Thursday to shadow an unidentified aircraft departing from Kaliningrad and approaching NATO-controlled skies.
“The UK is unshakeable in its commitment to NATO,” Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard said in a statement. “With Russian aggression growing and security threats on the rise, we are stepping up to reassure our Allies, deter adversaries and protect our national security through our Plan for Change.”
The deployments mark the UK’s latest effort to bolster NATO’s Eastern Flank and follow the arrival of British jets and personnel in Poland earlier this month. The operation also marks a first for NATO integration, with British Typhoons flying missions alongside Swedish Gripen fighters — the first such joint air policing operation since Sweden joined the alliance in 2024.
“Operating side by side with NATO’s newest member Sweden shows our ability to defend the Alliance’s airspace wherever and whenever needed,” Pollard said.
The UK has sent six Typhoon jets and nearly 200 personnel from the 140 Expeditionary Air Wing as part of the mission, following similar deployments to Romania and Iceland last year.
The announcement comes days after the UK Defence Secretary co-led a Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting at NATO headquarters, where over 50 countries pledged £21 billion in military support to Ukraine.
The RAF’s Quick Reaction Alert forces at home remain on standby 24/7 at RAF Coningsby, Lossiemouth and Brize Norton to defend UK airspace, while operations like CHESSMAN extend that readiness across NATO’s borders.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently reaffirmed the UK’s military commitment, pledging to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP in light of rising global instability.
