NATO scrambled fighter jets nearly 700 times to intercept Russian aircraft

NATO fighter jets have been scrambled nearly 700 times over the last two years to intercept Russian aircraft that approached or behaved erratically near Alliance airspace, according to Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee.

Speaking at the Taranto Naval Base in Italy, Dragone noted that these interceptions occur at a rate of almost one per day, emphasizing that security threats to the Alliance are real rather than hypothetical. Beyond Russian military activity, he identified terrorist groups, disinformation, hybrid attacks, and authoritarian states as significant challenges to the international order.

Dragone also introduced a vision for ‘NATO 3.0,’ which envisions a rebalanced Alliance where European members assume a more substantial role alongside the United States. He stated that the organization is returning to its core mission of collective defense while preparing for conventional and hybrid threats from the east, south, and the Arctic.