GULF OF FINLAND — Finnish and Swedish fighter jets scrambled together for the first time on Sept. 24, 2026, to intercept Russian military aircraft in international airspace over the Gulf of Finland. The Finnish Air Force identified the mission as the first joint Finnish-Swedish operational identification mission.

Finnish F/A-18 Hornets and Swedish JAS 39 Gripens were deployed for the interception after Russian aircraft were detected in the international airspace, according to the Swedish Armed Forces. The intercepted Russian formation included a Tu-134 transport plane, a MiG-31 interceptor, and Su-30 multirole fighter jets. The mission paired Finnish F/A-18 Hornet and Swedish JAS 39 Gripen fighters, with the Finnish Air Force’s Air Operations center directing the mission.

The operation was the first as part of Finland and Sweden’s new Quick Reaction Alert cooperation agreement, which allows fighter aircraft to operate from each other’s bases. In August 2026, Finland announced an agreement with Sweden to allow QRA fighter jets to operate from each other’s air bases, which enabled the joint identification mission on September 24, 2026. Finnish and Swedish air forces have conducted cross-border training sorties on an almost weekly basis for several years prior to the September 2026 joint interception mission.

"This is what close cooperation looks like in practice," Maj. Gen. Jonas Wikman, commander of the Swedish Air Force, said in a statement following the joint operation. "Built over years on trust and strong personal relationships, we can now operate seamlessly together — as air forces, as nations and as Allies."

Estonian Defense Minister Martin Herem warned that Russia could be capable of using military force against Estonia within a year. Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal stated that the government is ready to shut down border crossing points on short notice if threat assessments change. Denmark’s Defense Intelligence Service assessed the risk of a limited Russian military attack against a NATO country in the coming months as "low but growing" on Sept. 24. Denmark’s Defense Intelligence Service stated that a full-scale Russian invasion of a NATO member remains highly unlikely but can no longer be ruled out.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated: "Many people in Europe say they expect an attack from Russia and therefore claim they must prepare for war with Russia. I want to emphasize once again: we are not preparing for military action against Europe. We have no such plans, no basis for them, and, most importantly, no real motive to escalate the situation with Europe." Russian President Vladimir Putin stated regarding Estonian warnings: As we jokingly say in Russia: ‘The circus has left, but the clowns remain.’ It is political clowning.

… Clearly, these statements are complete nonsense and absurdity. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated: "We have to make sure that we are prepared, we are strong, and he knows it. And if he does anything silly, he knows our reaction will be tough."

Why It Matters

The joint interception occurred during a pattern of increased Russian air activity near NATO borders. Between August 31 and September 6, 2026, NATO fighter jets were scrambled at least three times to intercept Russian aircraft near the Baltic states, including multiple intercepts of Russian Il-20 reconnaissance planes flying without active transponders or filed flight plans, indicating a trend of increased Russian activity in the region. On August 20, 2026, a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft was suspected of entering Finnish airspace south of the island of Utö for about three minutes, reaching roughly 4.7 nautical miles inside, according to the Finnish Border Guard, showing previous instances of Russian aircraft approaching Finnish territory. In June 2023, Sweden scrambled its JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets twice in a single day to intercept Russian Su-24 Fencer and Su-34 Fullback strike aircraft operating aggressively close to Swedish airspace, marking an earlier instance of Swedish air force responding to Russian military aircraft.

Finland joined NATO as its 31st member in April 2023. Sweden joined NATO as its 32nd member in March 2024. Estonia has been a NATO member since 2004. The integration of Finnish and Swedish air defenses into the NATO framework has expanded the alliance's northern flank capabilities, allowing for coordinated responses to aerial incursions in the Baltic Sea region.

Timeline

Finland became NATO’s newest member on 4 April 2023, upon depositing its instrument of accession to the North Atlantic Treaty with the United States at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. Denmark’s Defense Intelligence Service issued a threat assessment on September 24, 2026, stating that Russia is likely to intensify its hybrid war against the West in the coming months and that there is a 'low but growing risk' of a limited Russian military attack against one or several NATO countries bordering Russia.

What's New

Finnish F/A-18 Hornets and Swedish JAS 39 Gripens were scrambled after Russian aircraft were detected in the international airspace, according to the Swedish Armed Forces. Between August 31 and September 6, 2026, NATO fighter jets were scrambled at least three times to intercept Russian aircraft near the Baltic states, including multiple intercepts of Russian Il-20 reconnaissance planes flying without active transponders or filed flight plans.

On August 20, 2026, a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft was suspected of entering Finnish airspace south of the island of Utö for about three minutes, reaching roughly 4.7 nautical miles inside, according to the Finnish Border Guard. In June 2023, Sweden scrambled its JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets twice in a single day to intercept Russian Su-24 Fencer and Su-34 Fullback strike aircraft operating aggressively close to Swedish airspace.