Belgian Air Force Says Intercepted Russian Supersonic Strategic Bombers Over Baltic

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) - The Belgian detachment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Baltic air-policing mission has intercepted two Russian Tu-160 supersonic strategic bombers and two Su-27 air superiority fighters, the Belgian Air Force said on Tuesday.

"Today two @BeAirForce #F16 of #NATO's #BAP mission intercepted two Russian #TU160 Blackjack and two Russian #SU27 Flanker above the Baltic Sea. It was the first scramble for the Belgian detachment which is safeguarding the Baltic airspace since the 3th of september," the Belgian Air Force tweeted.

Today two @BeAirForce #F16 of #NATO's #BAP mission intercepted two Russian #TU160 Blackjack and two Russian #SU27 Flanker above the Baltic Sea. It was the first scramble for the Belgian detachment which is safeguarding the Baltic airspace since the 3th of september. #WeareNATO pic.twitter.com/WK91ZvVTzU

— Belgian Air Force🇧🇪 (@BeAirForce) September 17, 2019

Два стратегических ракетоносца #Ту160 выполнили плановый полет над нейтральными водами Балтийского моря.

На отдельных этапах маршрута самолёты дальней авиации сопровождали истребители Бельгии, Дании, Польши, Финляндии и Швеции.https://t.co/6cAjDXaPLB pic.twitter.com/Vxt1r5eJmF

— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) September 17, 2019

Since 2004 NATO countries have been performing air policing duties in the airspace of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, which do not have supersonic jets of their own.