As part of their Baltic Air Policing mission, Portuguese Air Force (FAP) F-16M fighter jets conducted a significant number of interceptions of aircraft belonging to the Russian Armed Forces. The incidents, which occurred between late May and early June, amounted to a total of 20 interceptions involving various types of Russian military aircraft.
Since the end of March, the Portuguese Air Force has been deploying its F-16Ms to Estonia for the first time as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing missions. Previously, during earlier deployments such as those in 2024, Portuguese detachments had operated from bases in Lithuania.
The Portuguese aircraft, from Squadron 201 “Falcões,” arrived at Ämari Air Base in Estonia on March 28, taking over from the Royal Netherlands Air Force’s F-35 stealth fighters. The Portuguese detachment, on duty since April 1 and scheduled to conclude its mission on July 31, consists of four F-16M aircraft and 95 personnel. They remain “on constant alert with the mission of identifying, monitoring, and intervening whenever determined by the Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) in Uedem, within the airspace of the Baltic region. The mission also includes monitoring military and civilian aircraft that fail to comply with international flight regulations,” according to the Portuguese Air Force.
In this context, the F-16Ms were scrambled due to multiple contacts in international airspace over the Baltic Sea, flying without filed flight plans—clear violations of international norms—which triggered QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) protocols.
Between May 26 and June 1, Portuguese fighters carried out a total of 20 interceptions of aircraft from the Russian Federation’s Armed Forces. These aircraft were “flying over Baltic countries’ airspace without complying with regulations established under international law, with the highest number of interceptions in a single day—more than five—occurring on May 27,” the FAP’s official statement dated June 3 reported.
While specific details on the types and origin of the intercepted aircraft were not disclosed, several photographs officially released by NATO Air Command showed that among the aircraft intercepted were those from the Russian Navy’s Naval Aviation branch.
Notably, Su-24 Fencer strike and reconnaissance aircraft were observed, flying escorted by carrier-based Sukhoi Su-33 fighters. According to open-source intelligence (OSINT) analysis, the latter likely belonged to the 279th Independent Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment (OKIAP). Another detail revealed in the images was the presence of R-73L and R-27R/ER air-to-air missiles mounted on one of the fighter jets.
Finally, in the current context of tensions between NATO and the Russian Federation, such flights by the military forces of both sides serve as a demonstration of their capabilities and the rapid response time of the platforms involved.
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