Royal Air Force Typhoons stationed in Poland have scrambled six times in as many days, intercepting 15 Russian military aircraft operating near NATO airspace. The jets are deployed under
NATO’s enhanced Air Policing mission as part of Operation CHESSMAN.
Since April 1, 2025, RAF Typhoon FGR4s have been operating out of the 22nd Tactical Air Base in Malbork, Poland. Over the past week, this deployment has seen its highest operational activity yet.
The series of interceptions began on Saturday, June 7, when RAF Typhoons were launched to identify an aircraft leaving the Kaliningrad Flight Information Region. The aircraft was identified as an Antonov An-30, a Cold War-era reconnaissance plane known by NATO as “CLANK.” During the same mission, the Typhoons were redirected to intercept an Ilyushin Il-20M “COOT A,” a signals intelligence platform. Both aircraft were escorted away from NATO-monitored zones.
“One of the highlights of my first operational scramble was the moment training kicked in after launch,” said a Typhoon pilot. “Intercepting two aircraft on a single mission really showed me the intensity of Quick Reaction Alert duties.”
On Sunday, June 8, two Russian Su-24M “FENCER D” tactical bombers were intercepted. One of them made several low passes over the USNS William McLean, a U.S. Navy logistics vessel in the area.
The following day, June 9, RAF Typhoons intercepted another Il-20M and An-30. The most complex mission occurred on June 10, involving three separate aircraft types: an Il-20M, an An-30, and a Tu-142 “BEAR F” maritime patrol aircraft escorted by two Su-27 “FLANKER B” fighters.
To extend their time in the air, the Typhoons refuelled mid-mission from a German Luftwaffe A400M Atlas tanker, highlighting the close operational cooperation within NATO.
“Intercepting three different aircraft types in a single mission was a first for me,” said another RAF pilot. “It wouldn’t have been possible without support from our German allies.”
The Officer Commanding No II (Army Cooperation) Squadron emphasized the importance of interoperability: “Using an allied air-to-air refuelling platform didn’t just extend our operational reach—it underscored the mutual trust and strength at the heart of NATO.”
The RAF continued its scrambles into midweek, intercepting additional An-30, Il-20, and Su-24 aircraft on Wednesday and Thursday.
Operation CHESSMAN is led by the UK’s 140 Expeditionary Air Wing and includes RAF personnel deployed to Poland to reinforce NATO’s air policing mission. Photo: SAC Andrew Seaward/MOD, Wikimedia commons.