NATO reports ‘large scale’ Russian air activity in European airspace

NATO said Wednesday it had tracked and intercepted four groups of Russian warplanes “conducting significant military manoeuvres” in European airspace over the past two days.

“These sizeable Russian flights represent an unusual level of air activity over European airspace,” NATO said.

The planes, which included strategic bombers, fighters and tanker aircraft, were detected over the Baltic Sea, North Sea/Atlantic Ocean and the Black Sea on Tuesday and Wednesday, it said.

NATO reports ‘large scale’ Russian air activity in European airspace

Other news sources are confirming these reports.

In at least one of the four incidents, the aircraft had switched off their transponders and had not filed flight plans with civilian air traffic controllers. That means that civilian air traffic control cannot track them, potentially creating a risk for civilian planes.

Washington Post

CNN has been talking about it on the news a bit, they are calling it very worrisome, especially since they turn off their transponders and refuse to file flight plans.

Seems like more posturing from Russia, but why?

What is the motive, and what is the end-goal?

how big an military exercise is it ? doesnt mean theyre going to bomb anyplace

In the immortal words of Jim Carrey, "big gulps huh?"

Motive.. Great Russia
Rumors are that Putin has a cancer some say it is in his spinal some say its in pancreas.
NEW YORK TIMES

Who knows.. but surely Russia has been more active in Baltic Sea than ever. There is something going on in Russia that we do not know about. Maybe Putin wants to be written in history books among other great conquerors.

originally posted by: dollukka
Motive.. Great Russia
Rumors are that Putin has a cancer some say it is in his spinal some say its in pancreas.
NEW YORK TIMES

Who knows.. but surely Russia has been more active in Baltic Sea than ever. There is something going on in Russia that we do not know about. Maybe Putin wants to be written in history books among other great conquerors.

If that idiot tries anything he'll go down in the history books as the man who got his butt whipped by NATO, and he knows it. This is nothing more than the same typical Russian impotent posturing. They couldn't win a war and they know it.

probably someone getting strongarmed or sent a warning msg

a reply to: dollukka

Are you suggesting that Putin is terminally ill, and would attack, possibly start world war three because he literally has nothing to lose?

If you know you will die, are mentally unstable, and filled with anger and a desire for vengeance, would you take out the world with you?

Nah, can't be, no way. Relax, I'm sure there will be some posters here soon that will explain how all of this is simply normal flights, nothing unusual.

Oh dear. First the sub off Sweden and now this.

a reply to: dollukka

Whoa at that rumor. But it's Page Six of the New York Post, not the Times. Slight difference.

Russia denies Vladimir Putin cancer claims and 'curses' American media

they might be checking response times of fighter aircraft from Europe, ready for an actual strike I hope not as I want to see my son grow up.

Here, in Portugal, in a major breaking news about one hour ago, they said two Russian bombers were intercepted by Portuguese air force, on the north Atlantic, breaking sovereign airspace without permission.

According to a opinion maker from the media news: «The Russians are testing our/NATO readiness and/or defense capability.»

Edit:
Portuguese Source

a reply to: ausername

All i can say living in Finland that Russian military has been more active and also violating our airspace more often than ever in my lifetime. You know Finland shares a border with Russia.
Finnish planes were also in the Baltic sea, identifying Russian military planes.

its worrying indeed, but im sure its sabre rattleing from putin these sanctions must be biting now, an his rich mates who do business with the rest of the world are on his case,the Washington post says they stayed in international airspace though.

#

They ready up for an probable reaction of the US against an eventual economic crisis.

Haaa, the military, always ready for the small tiny ting that might never appen!

a reply to: gatorboi117

Since the budjet cut's and even factoring in the age of the majority of russian aircraft they now have overwhealming air superiority to our forces which is an embarrasment due to thick idiotic politicians who have been too engrossed in selling off public assets to there friends and cronies to keep our own house in order.
We need to Borrow some patriot missiles form the yank's and launch target drones whenever the russkies fly there fighter or other military aircraft in our air space, then explain it was an accident as they overflew our testing zones.
That would stop putin very fast indeed or at least bring it to a head faster and in our favor, showing weakness to a russian military or leader is the last thing you should ever do, especially when he is a short arsed self important little man with an ego problem though to be fair are our side really any better or have we been doing the same to them.

Just my 2 cents here, I live on the east coast of the United states and have been in the same city all my life, I've never seen the ammount of airplanes go into Boston that I did yesterday, I work early in the morning and I'm not joking maybe between 1 plane every 1-2 minutes went directly over head landing. It was quite bizarre. You could see the line of lights early in the morning for about 2 hrs until the sun rose and it continued untill a little after noon it seemed. And a few people said they noticed the same thing. Quite weird. A few planes an hr is the normal not 30 or more consistently for hrs.

a reply to: pryed -eyed-one

I like to add, that today just by coincidence (about 1700GMT) when I was checking the flightAware mobile software, I believe that I saw a military US aircraft arriving to santa maria airbase - Açores (Azores). Could be nothing, I'm not really sure., cause theres a military airbase in another island (terceira - base das lajes) it doesn't make many sense..only thing is that santa maria airbase was used on the 2ww, by the allies, but now is a civil airport.
santa maria airport

originally posted by: ryan2010
they might be checking response times of fighter aircraft from Europe, ready for an actual strike I hope not as I want to see my son grow up.

I hope that you do as well.

Just in case, however- maybe feed him food with a lot of growth hormones? just a suggestion.

Once a few months Russian planes Always get intercepted by different European countries. Mostly in the northern region.. Not trying to downplay anything but the unusual is not that unusual.