Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft almost flies into Germany
On Thursday, a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft approached German airspace without an activated transponder, so German fighters were forced to raise Eurofighter jets to escort it.
Here's What We Know
The German Air Force reported that the Quick Reaction Aircraft (QRA) system was activated at Laage airbase near Rostock (in the north of the country) due to an unknown aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea without a flight plan and an activated transponder.
The Russian Il-20 was spotted early in the morning east of the island of Rügen and was heading towards German airspace. With its transponder switched off, the aircraft posed a significant danger to civilian air traffic.
After the interception, German fighter jets escorted the Russian aircraft back to Kaliningrad, where it was first spotted. German media outlets have noted that Russian reconnaissance aircraft approaching German airspace are not uncommon.
Fortunately, NATO countries, including Germany, have a rapid response system, the QRA, which allows them to respond quickly to potential threats in the air.
Source: TDP
