NATO has reported a sharp increase in emergency fighter jet deployments along its eastern flank to intercept Russian military aircraft. According to the NATO Joint Force Command Brunssum (JFC Brunssum), the number of Alpha Scramble missions rose by more than 250% within a single day, UNN reports.
The command said that a comparison of activity on July 25 and July 26 showed a dramatic surge in emergency fighter sorties launched to identify airborne targets.
According to JFC Brunssum, the increase was driven by repeated flights of Russian military aircraft near NATO airspace without filed flight plans and with their transponders switched off. In response, NATO fighter jets were scrambled to intercept and identify the aircraft.
JFC Brunssum stressed that the figures clearly illustrate the sharp rise in interception missions, adding that each scramble demonstrates the Alliance’s ability to respond rapidly to potential threats.
The command also emphasized that such operations are a key part of protecting NATO’s airspace and reflect the Alliance’s continued readiness to safeguard its member states.
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