A Russian reconnaissance plane of the type Ilyushin 20 flying over the Baltic Sea without a recognition signal triggered an alert at the Laage air base in the northern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on Monday.
The aircraft was flying in the Kaliningrad area in international airspace without a transponder, without a flight plan and without contact with the flight safety control centre, the air force said.
The aircraft had been identified, it said. Usually, two Eurofighters scramble in response, ascending within minutes to check for possible threats or even to avert them if necessary. The mutual checks, however, are largely routine.
