Gripens intercept ‘Coot’ – a first intercept for Sweden’s NATO Enhanced Air Policing deployment to Poland
April 28, 2025
The two Gripens were scrambled from Malbork on 24 April, 2025. The Gripen pilots made a visual identification of a Russian Ilyushin Il-20 ‘Coot’ signals intelligence aircraft, operating in international airspace, but without a flight plan, and without contacting air traffic control authorities.
The Russian aircraft was intercepted north of Poland’s Baltic sea coast.
The operation was led by NATO’s Combined Air Operation Centre (CAOC) in Uedem, Germany, in co-operation with the national QRA authorities in Sweden. This was the first time a Swedish fighter aircraft division carried out air surveillance operations under NATO command while based abroad.
The Swedish fighter aircraft division is serving at Malbork alongside a British Royal Air Force Typhoon detachment from No.140 Expeditionary Air Wing. The Typhoons conducted three live scrambles on 15 and 17 April.
Anders Gustafsson, head of the Swedish contingent in Poland commented that: “We were where we were supposed to be at the right time to solve the task. We are showing that Sweden is a player that really contributes to further strengthening NATO’s air defence and protecting Polish airspace together with other allies. Now, for the first time, we have solved a critical task from a base abroad under NATO command, which is another milestone in the history of the Swedish Air Force.”
