"More frequent and more provocative Russian aircraft incursions into NATO airspace and rising pressure within the alliance to respond with force are raising the risks for front-line pilots flying air policing missions. NATO's air policing mission monitors the skies with advanced ground-based radar and surveillance systems, air defenses ready, and allied jets, such as F-35s, F-16s, Eurofighter Typhoons, and Gripens, always on standby and regularly on patrol. Sweden's Gripens are joining the mission for the first time this year."
"These defensive missions, deterrents dependent on pilots patrolling with caution and discipline, are becoming tougher as Russia tests alliance reactions and restraint. With new shootdown warnings coming out of NATO, there is a growing risk that a run-of-the-mill intercept could spiral. Russian aircraft incursions into NATO airspace increased after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. More recent concerns include 19 drones in Polish airspace and three Russian MiG-31 jets breaching Estonian airspace for over 12 minutes."
Russian aircraft are increasingly conducting more frequent and provocative incursions into NATO airspace, raising risks for front-line pilots on air policing missions. NATO maintains advanced ground-based radar, surveillance systems, air defenses, and allied jets (F-35, F-16, Eurofighter Typhoon, Gripen) on constant patrol, with Sweden's Gripens joining this year. Defensive air policing has never resulted in shooting down a crewed Russian aircraft in allied airspace. These missions demand caution and discipline as Russia tests alliance reactions, and new shootdown warnings increase the risk that routine intercepts could spiral into escalation.
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