Unique HD video shows Russian Su-27 intercept P-3 Orion aircraft over the Baltic Sea

A clip just released shows a close encounter over the Baltics between a Russian Flanker and a NATO P-3 Orion.

The following footage is quite unique: it shows a single Russian Air Force Su-27 Flanker jet as it intercepts and shadows a P-3 Orion, reportedly flying over the Baltics.

According to the source who sent the link to us, the (unclassified) video was filmed in November 2014 by “one of the sensors carried by a Portuguese Air Force P-3 Orion MPA – Maritime Patrol Aircraft – during a mission over the Baltic Sea.”

The clip clearly shows the fully armed Su-27 approach the surveillance plane from the starboard side (at safe distance…), use the air brake to slow down speed and then break away.

According to our source, it’s pretty standard for the Russian Air Force to launch a single fighter jet to identify and escort NATO surveillance planes.

As reported a few weeks ago, Russian Air Force spyplanes skirting foreign airspaces are frequently intercepted by NATO planes providing Baltic Air Policing task. This video proves that even the Russians keep an eye on NATO and non-NATO’s surveillance and intelligence gathering activities in the region.

The Portuguese Air Force operates a fleet of P-3 Orion aircraft within the 601 Squadron “Lobos” (Esquadra 601), a maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare squadron based at Beja Air Base.

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About David Cenciotti

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David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.