NATO fighters scrambled to intercept two Russian military aircraft near allied airspace over the Baltic Sea during a single back-to-back sortie from Ämari AB, Estonia, earlier this week, Royal Air Force officials announced. Estonian controllers detected a lone Russian Il-20M “Coot A” electronic intelligence aircraft flying without a flight plan tracking along allied airspace on June 8, according to the RAF release. Two RAF Eurofighter Typhoons, deployed to Estonia as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, scrambled to intercept and identify the aircraft. Shortly after the intercept, controllers re-directed the fighters to identify a second aircraft heading toward Lithuanian airspace from Kaliningrad, identifying it as a Russian An-26 transport, according to the release. “This is the fourth intercept tasking we have had,” said detachment boss RAF Wing Commander Stu Smiley. RAF Typhoons and Royal Norwegian Air Force F-16s rotated to Ämari on May 1, and will provide allied air cover for the Baltic States through August, according to a second release.
Dozens of former Airmen are running for Congress in the 2026 midterms, with Election Day fast approaching on Nov. 3. But the potential impact of the election for the Air Force and Space Force goes beyond just the number of former service members on Capitol Hill—the results will also decide…