A NATO fighter jet was scrambled over Lithuania after radar operators mistook a flock of birds for suspected drones, temporarily forcing the closure of Vilnius International Airport.
Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Center said the airport was shut on Sunday following the apparent UAV sighting, prompting a NATO aircraft to take off from Siauliai airbase, where Italian Eurofighter Typhoons are stationed as part of the alliance’s Baltic Air Policing mission.
The airport reopened about 40 minutes later after the aircraft established that the radar contacts were birds rather than drones, with authorities explaining that the two can produce similar initial radar signatures.
The false alarm comes amid heightened concern over unidentified UAV activity around European airports and critical infrastructure, as well as previous drone incursions involving the Baltic states. European governments have increasingly raised suspicions of Russian involvement in such incidents, while Moscow has rejected the accusations and warned Baltic countries against assisting Ukrainian military operations targeting Russia.
Image credit: Jonathan Ridley
BAWHAWHAWHAWHAWHAW….
Pigeons at six oçlock
Birdshit, 12 oçlock high, break right
More NATO arms required to assure security
Reminds me of Microsoft store
These people haven’t got it yet but they are defenseless
NATO is a tinker selling pots and pans that don’t hold water
Maybe someone should tell them?
But anyway who gives a tinkers toss?