Polish F-16 fighters intercepted a Russian Il-20 aircraft over the Baltic Sea. This was announced by the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces on social network X.
According to the Polish side, a pair of duty fighters took off to identify an aerial target in international airspace. After visual contact, the F-16 crews escorted the Russian aircraft and left the interception area.
Warsaw clarified that the Il-20 was flying in the international zone and did not violate Polish airspace. At the same time, the message emphasizes that the actions of the fighters were carried out within the framework of standard procedures for responding to aerial objects in the area of responsibility.
Il-20 is an electronic reconnaissance aircraft that is regularly used to monitor the situation and collect data.
The advantages of the highly specialized aircraft were recognized by former US Air Force Thunderbirds pilot Ryan Bodenheimer.