Sweden scrambled Gripen fighters to identify and shadow a group of Russian long-range aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea on Thursday, after radar picked up multiple Tu-22M3 bombers travelling with escorting Su-35 fighters.
One of the bombers was photographed carrying a Kh-22 or Kh-32 cruise missile under its wing.
The Swedish Air Force said its quick-reaction alert aircraft launched as the formation passed near NATO-monitored airspace, with the mission carried out in coordination with the Baltic Air Policing effort. In a brief statement, the service noted: “Swedish QRA identified Russian Tu-22 bombers escorted by Su-35 fighter jets over the Baltic Sea yesterday. Mission carried out in close cooperation with Baltic Air Policing.”
The bombers had departed from Olenya Air Base on the Kola Peninsula before flying south towards St Petersburg, then along the narrow international air corridor between Finland and Estonia. They later turned towards the area between Gotland and Latvia, tracing a route that brought them near NATO-controlled airspace before reversing course.
Tu-22M3 Backfire aircraft are long-range strike platforms capable of carrying heavy anti-ship and land-attack missiles, including the Kh-22 and its more modern successor, the Kh-32. These weapons have been used by Russia in its war against Ukraine and remain among the most potent systems in its inventory.
Italian Eurofighters assigned to the Baltic Air Policing mission also launched during the episode and operated alongside the Swedish jets as they monitored the Russian formation.
A flight of Backfires with fighter escort flaunting large cruise missiles…
Designed to try and intimidate Baltic members of NATO no doubt. This also feels like a bit of an escalation, although the article does not give actual numbers of aircraft involved the language confirms more than one of each type of aircraft and hints more. So probably a significant formation with a significant message of threat…
Cheers CR