F-35 has been intercepted over the Baltic by two planes

The Bulgarian Military Viewers told this on December 9. As part of the first mission, two F-35 were raised into the air to intercept the Russian transport aircraft An-72 and a reconnaissance Su-24-MP. Later, the fighters again rose to the IL-20-a complex platform for radio electronic intelligence. Russian planes made flights without transponders on and without agreed flight plans, which could pose a threat to air traffic safety.

Therefore, these intercepting operations emphasized the importance of controlling the airspace near NATO's eastern flank. Su-24MR is a specialized reconnaissance platform equipped for tactical missions. It can scan the terrain from a height, fix thermal signatures and collect data on enemy electronics. Such missions, the authors of the publication, especially valuable in geopolitically intense regions, and the Baltic is not an exception.

The Russian aircraft is equipped: at the same time experts noted that Su-24MR equipment is morally outdated. For example, aircraft sensors do not have the same resolution and computing capacity as modern systems installed on UAVs or newly manned platforms. In addition, the design of the machine makes it easily visible, and therefore, vulnerable to modern air defense systems. IL-20 is a specialized aircraft of radio intelligence.

It is designed to open radar means of a probable enemy in the frontal strip, intercepting open negotiations, promising radar survey. The machine is similar to the base passenger IL-18, but has a number of special systems: IL-20 can perform intelligence operations for several hours at long distances from the bases. The interception marks the turning point for Rnlaf, analysts emphasized, demonstrating the F-35 operational readiness in real scenarios.