NATO's Baltic vigil: German Eurofighters intercept Russian planes
The war in Ukraine serves as a cautionary tale for NATO. While the alliance is not directly involved in the conflict, it vigilantly monitors the security of its member countries and patrols the eastern borders. A significant incident was recently reported by the Latvian Air Force on social media.
According to Latvian reports, Russian military aircraft were intercepted near Latvian territorial waters by German Eurofighter Typhoons. These fighters had taken off from the Latvian Air Base in Lielvārde, which recently became a temporary hub for the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission, as Przemysław Juraszek from Wirtualna Polska explained.
Why German Eurofighter Typhoons?
German Eurofighter Typhoons are deployed in Latvia as part of the Baltic Air Policing mission, a direct answer to the repeated airspace violations by Russian aviation.
Germany currently operates 141 Eurofighter Typhoon fighters (with 2 lost to an accident in 2009), and is planning a significant expansion – aiming for a total of 179 aircraft.
The Eurofighter Typhoon boasts a pair of Eurojet EJ200 engines that enable it to cruise at approximately Mach 1.5 and achieve a top speed of around Mach 2. Its innovative design, which impacts the radar signature, makes the aircraft challenging to detect.
A key strength of the fighter is its extensive arsenal capacity. The aircraft is equipped to carry air-to-air, anti-ship, anti-radar missiles, and even guided bombs. It also features the IRST PIRATE system for detecting and tracking targets through their heat signature, an effective measure against aircraft utilizing stealth technology.
