On September 25 five Russian fighter jets approached Latvian airspace. In response, two Hungarian Gripen fighter jets took off from the Siauliai air base in Lithuania to identify and monitor the approaching aircraft, NATO Air Command reported.
The Hungarian Gripen fighters identified five jets, including one Su-30, one Su-35 and three MiG-31s, west of the Latvian coast.
As the Russian jets were not complying with international flight safety regulations, they were escorted off the territory.
After the successful mission, the Gripens returned safely to their base in Lithuania. “Hungary demonstrates the Alliance’s commitment to protecting and safeguarding the Baltics and the eastern flank,” reads the NATO Air Command’s post on X.
Since August 1, 2025, Hungary has taken the lead in NATO’s Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission.
Under the NATO framework, the Hungarian Defense Forces are currently deployed to Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania with four Gripen fighter jets and approximately 80 personnel.
As the lead nation for the mission’s 69th rotation, Hungary is cooperating with Spain and Italy in protecting the airspace of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—countries that have relied on allied air policing since their accession to NATO in 2004.
This is the fourth time Hungary has taken part in Baltic Air Policing. Previous Hungarian-led rotations occurred during the following periods:
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September 2015 – January 2016 (with Germany)
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May – August 2019 (with Spain and the UK)
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August – December 2022 (alongside Czech, Polish, German, Belgian, and Italian air forces).
This is not the first time the Hungarian Gripen fighters were scrambled over Russian aircraft in the Baltics. Last time, the unit took to the air on August 8, 2025, and successfully intercepted and identified Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea that did not establish radio contact with air traffic control, did not have a flight plan, and did not use a transponder. Following the interception and identification, the Gripen fighter jets returned to their base.
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Since August 1, Hungary has taken the lead in NATO’s Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission.Continue reading
Via NATO Air Command/X, Featured image: Honvedelem.hu
The post Our Gripens Back in Action to Intercept Russian Jets near NATO Airspace appeared first on Hungary Today.
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