When Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4 jets based at Malbork Air Base in Poland took to the sky a dozen times between April and June 2025, they were doing more than routine training – they were part of a concerted NATO effort to keep a wary eye on Russian aircraft buzzing the eastern edge of the alliance’s airspace.
Background: NATO’s eastern air policing
Since the 2014 annexation of Crimea, NATO has steadily bolstered its Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) net on the alliance’s eastern flank. The idea is simple: keep a handful of fighter‑capable aircraft on standby so they can launch within minutes of a hostile or un‑identified incursion. NATO members rotate these duties, with the United Kingdom contributing its Eurofighter fleet under the banner of Operation CHESSMAN. The mission’s name pays homage to the historic game of chess – a fitting metaphor for the strategic tug‑of‑war playing out over the Baltic.
Operation CHESSMAN in action
The deployment kicked off on 1 April 2025, when crews from No. II (Army Co‑operation) Squadron and the 140 Expeditionary Air Wing began rotating QRA shifts. Their aircraft – the supersonic Typhoon, capable of Mach 2 and a climb to 55 000 ft in under three minutes – were on standby 24 hours a day, ready to scramble at a moment’s notice.
What followed was a relentless series of interceptions. Over a span of just 70 days, the RAF squadron intercepted a total of **15** Russian military aircraft, most of them the signal‑intelligence variant Ilyushin Il‑20M “Coot‑A” and the older Antonov An‑30 “Clank”. The Russian Ministry of Defence (as reflected in flight‑plan omissions) never filed a paper trail, leaving NATO pilots to rely on radar and visual identification alone.
Detailed timeline of intercepts
- 15 April 2025 – Two Typhoons launched to meet a lone Il‑20M drifting over the Baltic Sea. It was the first scrape for the UK crew in Operation CHESSMAN.
- 17 April 2025 – A second pair of jets chased an unidentified aircraft that had exited Kaliningrad Oblast airspace, never answering a radio call.
- 5 June 2025 – Typhoons intercepted an Antonov An‑30 (NATO code‑name “Clank”) and, moments later, a second Il‑20M in the same sortie. The twins shadowed both platforms until they slipped back toward Russian airspace.
- 7 June 2025 – The pattern repeated: an An‑30 lifted off from Kaliningrad, followed by an Il‑20M. One rookie pilot, later identified as Flight Lieutenant James Harper, recalled, “The adrenaline was high, but training took over. Intercepting two aircraft in one mission was intense.”
- 13 June 2025, 10:50 AM – An Il‑20M breached Polish airspace outright, prompting an immediate scramble at 10:57 AM. The Typhoons maintained a protective corridor for the next hour.
Across these incidents, the RAF’s role was largely “shadow‑and‑monitor”. The Typhoons never engaged the Russian aircraft but kept a close visual and electronic watch, a standard NATO practice designed to deter any potential escalation.
Reactions from NATO and UK defence officials
Speaking to the press after the 13 June event, a spokesperson for the Royal Air Force Expeditionary Air Wing noted, “Russian planes consistently fail to file flight plans or communicate with civilian ATC. Our presence ensures they cannot operate with impunity.”
General Domenico Campone, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, later remarked that the increased frequency of Russian flights “underscores the need for a robust, interoperable QRA network across the alliance”. He pointed out that Denmark and the Netherlands had been conducting parallel escort missions, illustrating a coordinated response.
Implications for regional security
Why should a reader in, say, Manchester care? Because each sortie reflects a broader strategic chess move. The Russian Ministry of Defence appears to be testing NATO’s reaction times, gathering electronic intelligence on radar signatures, and perhaps probing gaps in the alliance’s air‑defence coverage.
Analysts at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) warned that sustained “air‑space probing” could evolve into more aggressive posturing, especially as the United Kingdom pushes its defence budget toward the NATO‑endorsed 2.5 % of GDP target. The RAF’s visible presence in Poland sends a clear signal: the UK is ready to shoulder its share of collective security, even at the edge of the alliance’s front line.
Looking ahead: what’s next for Operation CHESSMAN?
With the summer months approaching, the RAF expects to keep two Typhoons on QRA standby at Malbork through the end of 2025. The squadron will rotate crews with the United States Air Force and Baltic partners, ensuring a seamless hand‑over of intercept responsibilities.
Meanwhile, Moscow’s recent deployment of more modern electronic‑surveillance platforms, such as the Ilyushin‑based “Il‑20RT”, could raise the stakes. NATO officials say they are reviewing real‑time data sharing protocols to make sure any future incursion is met with the swiftest possible response.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do the RAF intercepts protect Polish airspace?
By shadowing Russian aircraft, the Typhoons ensure they cannot approach sensitive military installations unnoticed. The presence of NATO fighters discourages any hostile maneuver and forces the Russian planes to stay on the periphery of Polish sovereign airspace.
Why are Russian Il‑20M and Antonov An‑30 aircraft frequently seen near NATO borders?
Both types serve as signal‑intelligence and aerial‑reconnaissance platforms. Their long endurance allows them to loiter for hours, collecting electronic emissions and radar signatures that help Moscow map NATO’s defence posture.
What does Operation CHESSMAN reveal about NATO’s readiness?
The operation shows that NATO can rapidly deploy allied air assets to a forward base, maintain a 24/7 Quick Reaction Alert, and coordinate interceptions across multiple member states—all vital for deterring aggression on the alliance’s eastern flank.
How does the UK’s defence spending target relate to these scrambles?
The UK’s pledge to raise defence spending to 2.5 % of GDP funds deployments like Operation CHESSMAN, ensuring that frontline assets such as the Typhoon stay modern, ready, and available for NATO missions far from home.
What could happen if Russian probing flights increase?
A higher frequency of incursions could prompt NATO to tighten its engagement rules, potentially moving from shadowing to more assertive intercepts. Analysts warn that such a shift could raise the risk of accidental collisions or misinterpretations, making diplomatic channels all the more crucial.
