As part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, it was reported that Italian Eurofighter Typhoon fighters stationed in Estonia intercepted a Tu-134A-4 aircraft while it was being escorted by two Su-30SM2 fighters of the Russian Navy. Better known as the “Black Pearl” of the Russian Armed Forces, it is an aircraft that had not been intercepted by European fighters for five years, considering that the last time the peculiar Russian aircraft in question was seen by Alliance fighters took place in 2020.
The development was reported by NATO’s Air Command, which published a brief statement with images on its social media on November 21, in which it also noted the interception of a Su-24MR Fencer aircraft in a separate instance that is said to have occurred in the same week. Quoting the Alliance’s official statements: “Over the course of the past week, Italian jets deployed to Ämari [Estonia] scrambled to intercept multiple Russian assets. NATO’s Air Policing in the Baltic region ensures the safety of NATO airspace under Eastern Sentry command. Eastern Sentry is reinforcing the flexibility and strength of NATO’s posture on the eastern flank.”
Reviewing what is known about the history of the “Black Pearl,” it is worth mentioning that it is a twin-engine aircraft based on the old Tu-134 passenger jet, whose first flight took place in 1963, during the Soviet era. One of its variants, known as the Tu-134UB-L, had the task of serving as a training platform for future Tu-22M3 and Tu-160 strategic bomber pilots. The Tu-134A-4 variant itself represents one of the most modern in the family, converted to carry out VIP passenger transport missions as its new role.
In this sense, its appearance over the Baltic is unusual for Western analysts, bearing in mind that such missions normally involve Tu-95 Bear, Il-20 Coot, or other types of combat aircraft. Considering both the location where its interception was recorded and its transport role, the main speculation has been that the Tu-134A-4 was flying toward the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad to transport high-ranking commanders—possibly from the Russian Navy, given that units of the Baltic Fleet are based there.
On the other hand, addressing some relevant aspects of the Italian deployment in the region, it should be mentioned that the Eurofighters involved in the interception mission are part of a rotation intended to replace the F-35s previously stationed in Estonia. During their two-month period at that post, the stealth aircraft carried out more than 150 sorties, according to NATO itself, with over 300 total flight hours logged. In the Alliance’s view, this constitutes both a demonstration of its commitment to Baltic air security and of its ability to conduct rapid-reaction force deployments to respond to potential threats.
You may also like: Italy will initiate in 2026 the studies and analyses to equip its Navy with a new nuclear aircraft carrier
