RAF Typhoons Jets Intercepts Russian Military Planes

Photographs released by the Ministry of Defence showed the Typhoons shadowing the aircraft.

Four UK jets are currently based at Amari airbase in Estonia, where they have joined the NATO Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission until the end of August.

RAF Typhoons were scrambled from a base in Estonia to intercept three Russian military transport planes which were approaching Baltic countries.

It was the first time that British fighter jets have responded to Russian aircraft "aggression" since the Typhoons were deployed in late April on a four-month policing mission in the region.

They were said to have carried out "textbook intercepts" of the AN-26 'Curl', AN-12 'Cub' and IL-76 'Candid' planes that were not transmitting a recognised identification code and were unresponsive.

They, as well as Portuguese F-16s based in Lithuania, are on stand-by 24/7 to provide security in the airspace over Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and respond quickly to any aggression directed from Russia, or others.

One of the RAF pilots involved in the mission said: "The scramble went exactly as planned.

"We launched our Typhoon aircraft quickly and then using our advanced sensors and mission systems, combined with support from our battlespace managers on the ground, carried out textbook intercepts of the three aircraft."

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: "This is another example of just how important the UK's contribution to the Baltic Air Policing Mission is.

"We were able to instantly respond to this act of Russian aggression - demonstration of our commitment to NATO's collective defence."

It is the third year that UK jets have taken part in the BAP mission.