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Spanish F-18s Face Heavily Armed Russian Su-30 Warplanes in Baltic Air Interception

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Photo of Vlad Litnarovych
Vlad Litnarovych
News Writer
Illustrative image. A McDonnell Douglas EF-18M Hornet of the Spanish Air Force flies over the Torrejon de Ardoz military base in Madrid, Spain, on October 12, 2025. (Source: Getty Images)
Illustrative image. A McDonnell Douglas EF-18M Hornet of the Spanish Air Force flies over the Torrejon de Ardoz military base in Madrid, Spain, on October 12, 2025. (Source: Getty Images)

Spanish Air Force EF-18M fighter jets intercepted Russian combat aircraft operating close to NATO airspace over the Baltic region, according to Spanish military outlet Defensa y Aviación, citing Spain’s Defense Staff on January 28.

The interception was carried out by F-18M aircraft from Spain’s Wing 15, which is currently deployed to Šiauliai Air Base in northern Lithuania as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission under the Vilkas detachment. The encounter occurred on January 28 during a routine patrol, Spanish military officials said.

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“Wing 15 F-18M aircraft deployed in Lithuania as part of the Vilkas detachment intercepted Russian Air Force fighter aircraft flying in international waters near allied airspace,” Spain’s Defense Staff said. “The Spanish fighters identified the aircraft and escorted them until they entered their own airspace. The F-18s then returned to Šiauliai Air Base without incident.”

According to Spanish officials, the Russian aircraft involved were Su-30SM multirole fighters equipped with air-to-air missiles and cluster munitions. The presence of live weapons during the flight highlighted the operational posture of Russian aviation activity near NATO borders.

Russian Su-30SM “81 Blue,” tail number RF-81885, intercepted by the Spanish Air Forces, January 28, 2026. (Source: Spanish Air Force)
Russian Su-30SM “81 Blue,” tail number RF-81885, intercepted by the Spanish Air Forces, January 28, 2026. (Source: Spanish Air Force)
Russian Su-30SM “81 Blue,” tail number RF-81885, intercepted by the Spanish Air Forces, January 28, 2026. (Source: Spanish Air Force)
Russian Su-30SM “81 Blue,” tail number RF-81885, intercepted by the Spanish Air Forces, January 28, 2026. (Source: Spanish Air Force)

Images released by Spain’s Defense Staff show one of the intercepted aircraft identified as Su-30SM “81 Blue,” tail number RF-81885. While initially described as part of the Russian Air Force, visible markings indicate the aircraft belongs to the Naval Aviation branch of the Russian Navy.

The interception came shortly after Spain began a new rotation in NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission. At the end of November, ten EF-18M fighters from Wing 15 replaced ten Eurofighter Typhoons from Wing 11 at Šiauliai Air Base. The deployment marked the first time Spain has conducted two consecutive rotations of the mission.

Spanish defense officials said the extended deployment reflects heightened Russian air activity near Poland and the Baltic states in recent months.

NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission is a standing defensive operation aimed at protecting the airspace of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, which do not maintain their own fighter aircraft. Allied jets regularly intercept and escort military aircraft approaching NATO airspace without flight plans or active transponders.

Earlier, Sweden’s Armed Forces detected and monitored a group of Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea, prompting the launch of Swedish Air Force quick reaction alert fighters.

The formation included two Russian Su-35S fighter jets and one Tu-22M3 long-range bomber, which were identified by Sweden’s incident readiness forces as they operated in international airspace near Swedish territory.

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