French Atlantique illuminated by Russian radar

A French Navy Breguet Atlantique (registration 21), which took off from NAS Lorient at 11:31 CET on September 15 as part of NATO operations, was targeted by the Russian military on Wednesday afternoon while flying over the Baltic Sea, according to French military sources on Thursday. The aircraft was conducting a surveillance mission under the Alliance’s deployment in response to undersea cable damage, for which Russia is suspected. It was subjected to a “jamming attempt” and “targeting by a fire control radar,” according to a statement from the French military.

The aircraft was “illuminated,” a term that, in military language, refers to targeting an object with radar. While such actions are “not uncommon in this area,” they signal that “Russia is not remaining passive,” French sources explained.

Russia’s actions demonstrated “contained hostility,” but the professional conduct of the French crew prevented escalation and ensured the mission’s continuation. The Russian military likely had little intention of acting further, as “an attack on a NATO aircraft could provoke a sudden and serious escalation with NATO.”

In the same area, another French asset, a Beechcraft 350, is also operating, conducting a SIGINT mission near the Russian territory of Kaliningrad, and also a USN Boeing P-8A carying out another surveillance mission.