Sukhoi SU 27 News

In a bid to secure its air space and deter military and surveillance aircraft of foreign nations from violating its borders, the Russian Air Force scrambled its fighter jets 18 times between August 23 and 30, 2019. While the Russian Defense Ministry did not identify the fighters scrambled, the country has a fleet of some of the most feared combat jets in its arsenal including Mikoyan MiG-29, Sukhoi Su-27, Su-30, Su-35 aircraft.

A 41-second-long video shot from inside Shoigu's aircraft shows the F/A-18 flying alongside the plane. Soon a Su-27 escorting the Russian Defense Minister's plane is seen moving in between the two aircraft following which the F/A-18 banks towards the left, ascends and then flies away from the Russian jets.

The RAF Typhoon Eurofighters were scrambled on Monday to intercept a Russian Antonov AN-26 Curl transport aircraft and then later in the day a Russian TU-142 Bear Bomber and two Su-27B fighters were tracked following which the Typhoons were once again tasked with escorting aircraft.

The RAF released photos of the Eurofighter Typhoon jets, part of Operation AZOTIZE of the Baltic Air Policing mission in Estonia, intercepting the Russian Sukhoi Su-30s on June 14 and 15. Ten days later, the Typhoons were directed to intercept two Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighters.

In the first interceot the Typhoon escorted a Russian military Antonov An-12 transport aircraft on June 25 and a few hours later on the same day, the Euofighters were once again airborne after two Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighters and one Ilyushin IL-22 (Coot B) military transport aircraft were spotted. On June 14 and 15, RAF Typhoon jets on QRA had intercepted Russian Sukhoi Su-30 fighter aircraft flying to the north of Estonia twice.

The escort plane, a Sukhoi SU-27, demonstrated it was armed by rocking its wings, after which the NATO plane flew off.