Italian F-35 stealth jets intercept Russian fighter jets in 1st NATO Baltic Air Policing deployment
August 14, 2025
As geopolitical tensions continue to mount between NATO and Russia in the Baltic region, Italian F-35s have scrambled to intercept Russian fighter jets. It’s the first time Italy has deployed its F-35 stealth jets in such a role.
Italian F-35s intercept Su-27 and Su-24
On August 13, two Italian Air Force F-35 fighter jets scrambled from Ämari Air Base in Estonia to intercept Russian aircraft operating nearby as part of NATO’s Air Policing mission. This marks the first time Italian fifth-generation fighters have been deployed in such a role in the Baltic theatre.
This comes after Hungarian Gripens conducted a similar mission a few days ago, and as the United States deploys B-1B Lancer bombers to Norway for exercises. They were escorted over the North Atlantic by Spanish Hornets, the first such deployment for those Spanish fighter jets.
For the first time two 🇮🇹 F-35s scramble from 🇪🇪 in response to 🇷🇺 aircraft under NATO's Air Policing mission
— NATO Air Command (@NATO_AIRCOM) August 13, 2025
The 🇮🇹 Task Force Air – 32nd Wing detachment at Ämari Air Base 🇪🇪 are on Quick Reaction Alert 24/7 demonstrating the Alliance’s commitment to safeguarding NATO airspace pic.twitter.com/pnM0CRowo1
The interception was carried out by the 32nd Wing detachment of the Italian Task Force at Ämari Air Base in Estonia, which maintains a constant Quick Reaction Alert posture. The Russian fighters were operating without transponders or flight plans.
Russian fighter jet activity escalates in the Baltic region
Russia has been operating intrusive patrols in the region for some time. In 2024, a Russian Su-24 fighter jet briefly violated Swedish airspace in the Baltic Sea. Meanwhile, Russian GPS jamming in the region has interfered with civil aviation.
In August, Aviation Week reported that Latvia’s Electronic Communications Office stated that Russian jamming comes from three sites in Russia. Companies, including Airbus, are developing technologies to solve issues from GPS spoofing on aircraft.
In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sweden and Finland both abandoned their long-held neutrality and joined NATO. Sweden had been neutral for more than two centuries and had even successfully stayed out of both World Wars.
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania joined NATO in 2004 and fear they could be next after Russia’s war in Ukraine ends. The Baltic states and neighbouring Poland now have the highest defence budgets in NATO as a percentage of GDP as they prepare their countries to deter or resist any future Russian aggression.
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania lack fighter jet fleets and rely on NATO allies to police their airspace on their behalf.
Russia uses older fighter jets for Baltic patrols
The Russian fighters intercepted by Italian F-35s were a Sukhoi Su-24 “Fencer” and a Sukhoi Su-27 “Flanker.”
The Su-24 is an ageing variable-sweep wing aircraft designed for low-level penetration and bombing missions. Its design drew from the 1960s-era US F-111 Aardvark and French Dassault Mirage G8.
In Ukraine, the Su-24 has been modified to carry Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG cruise missiles. In Russian service, the old aircraft is rarely seen in frontline duties anymore and is mostly used for patrols and other noncombat missions.
Likewise, Russia rarely uses the Su-27 on the frontline now; many of these ageing airframes have been retired as they are replaced with the modernised Su-30 or Su-35 variants or the Su-34 fighter-bomber derivative.
