Romania:Russian Spy Plane Draws British Fighter Intercept

At Mihail Kogalniceanu Airbase,Romania,two RAF Typhoon fighter jets were scrambled on 3 MAY 2018 when a Russian IL-20 Coot reconnaissance aircraft was detected approaching NATO airspace over the Black Sea.The Typhoons under 135 Air Expeditionary Wing are serving in NATO's Enhanced Air Policing mission,supplementing the Romanian Air Force as one of the Assurance Measures adopted by NATO in 2014 to demonstrate the collective will of the Alliance;demonstrate its defensive nature;and deter Russia from aggression or the threat of aggression against NATO Allies,Allied Air Command explained.*
It was the Typhoon Eurofighters' first scramble of their current deployment.According to Squadron Leader Roger Cruickshank:
Quickly climbing to height and nearly supersonic,it was down to the superb collective response alongside our Romanian partners that we were able to successfully complete our mission.*
The Il-20 never got within visual range of the Typhoons and was tracked departing the area on a Northeast bearing.The prop aircraft is used for long-range reconnaissance missions.A converted civilian plane,it has a top speed of 410 mph and a range of 2200 miles.In contrast,the Typhoon can zip past at up to 1550 mph,with a range of 2355 mph.It can brandish a full array of advanced armament,including a cannon,missiles and bombs.