The French Air and Space Force confirmed on February 17 that Rafale fighters intercepted a IL-20M Coot-A signals intelligence aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces over the Baltic Sea.
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The incident occurred as part of NATO’s Air Policing Missions, which are conducted in the region to ensure the security of allied airspace.
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French Presence in the Baltic
Since December 2023, the French Air and Space Force has strengthened its presence in the Baltic to support NATO’s Air Policing Mission.
As of December 1, a new detachment of Rafale fighters has been operating from Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania, complementing the Eurofighters of the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare).
This marks the twelfth time that France has participated in this mission, reaffirming its commitment to the alliance’s collective defense.
The February 17 Incident
According to reports, the Russian aircraft, an IL-20M Coot-A, was possibly conducting an exploration and reconnaissance flight without submitting a proper flight plan and with its transponders turned off.
This triggered NATO’s Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) protocol, prompting the Rafale fighters to take off to intercept and identify the aircraft.
The IL-20M Coot-A is a specialized variant for signals intelligence (SIGINT/COMINT) missions, based on the Ilyushin Il-18 model.
This aircraft is frequently used by the Russian Aerospace Forces to assess NATO forces’ response times and gather communication and radar data in the region.
Source: X @FrenchForces. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
