Austria scrambled its Eurofighter Typhoon jets on two consecutive days after detecting U.S. military aircraft near or inside its airspace without proper authorization.
According to Austria’s Ministry of Defence, the aircraft involved were USAF PC-12 models, identified as U-28A Draco aircraft, special operations planes used in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
The first incident occurred on May 10, when two American aircraft were detected in the Totes Gebirge region of Upper Austria. After being intercepted by the Eurofighters, the aircraft returned to Munich, Germany. The following day, Austrian jets were scrambled again in a top-priority operation to monitor another overflight by aircraft of the same type. Later, Austrian authorities confirmed that the second flight had valid authorization.
The U-28A Draco is a militarized version of the Pilatus PC-12 and has played an important role in U.S. special operations since 2006. Equipped with advanced sensors, infrared cameras and electronic intelligence systems, the aircraft is capable of collecting real-time information and transmitting it directly to troops on the ground or command centers. Some versions also feature synthetic aperture radar and modern long-range surveillance systems.
The episodes drew attention to the delicate issue of military overflight permissions in Europe, especially in neutral countries such as Austria. The case also recalled a 2002 incident, when U.S. F-117 stealth fighters were discovered crossing Austrian airspace hidden beneath a KC-10 tanker aircraft. After the recent events, U.S. European Command said there had only been an administrative error in the flight authorization documentation.
Source: The War Zone | Photo: X @OSINTWarfare | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
