Polish jets intercept Russian Su‑24 over Baltic Sea
The Polish Minister of Defence, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, reported that a Russian Su-24 aircraft was intercepted by Polish fighter jets. What is this aircraft and what are its roles?
On 23rd May 2024, the head of the Polish Ministry of Defence announced the interception of a Russian Su-24 aircraft over the Baltic Sea the previous day. This mission was executed by the Polish quick reaction alert unit following orders from the Allied Air Command (AIRCOM) based in Ramstein, Germany.
These are two aircraft maintained ready for takeoff, fuelled and armed, with pilots on standby in designated nearby rooms. This setup allows the aircraft to take off within a few minutes of receiving orders, ready to respond to detected threats or execute – as in this case – the task of intercepting a foreign aircraft.
This task is undertaken in various situations, such as when an unidentified aircraft approaches airspace or when contact cannot be established with an aircraft for any reason.
What does intercepting an aircraft involve?
Interception involves approaching the detected object to visually identify and ascertain its intentions. This could be a foreign military aircraft or a civilian aircraft whose crew has made a navigational error or is experiencing a malfunction.
Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz noted that the Russian aircraft was performing dangerous manoeuvres but did not elaborate on the specifics. He also did not specify which variant of the Su-24 Polish pilots encountered.
How does the Su-24MR differ from the Su-24M?
Though the Su-24 was originally designed as a strike aircraft (a frontline bomber) with variable geometry wings, several specialised variants of this aircraft have been developed. Alongside the modernised strike version, the Su-24M, currently in use by Russia, the Su-24MR is also operational.
The Su-24MR is the variant that violated Polish airspace in February 2025 (during the interception on 22nd May 2025, the aircraft was in international airspace, where it was permitted). Given the circumstances of this recent incident, it is most likely that Polish pilots intercepted the Su-24MR once again.
Su-24MR - An obsolete flying spy
The Su-24MR is a reconnaissance variant of the Su-24. The aircraft is equipped with various systems, including cameras (that also operate in the infrared spectrum), radar reconnaissance equipment, and a side-looking radar that allows for mapping terrain and objects along its flight path.
Before the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Russia operated about 70 Su-24MRs. However, in 2021, it announced plans to gradually retire these obsolete aircraft and replace them with reconnaissance drones such as the Altius-U and Orion. Some roles of the Su-24MR were also to be assumed by Su-34 aircraft equipped with UKR-RT reconnaissance pods (SIGINT/ELINT electronic reconnaissance version), UKR-OE (optoelectronic), and UKR-RL (radar).
