Military Watch Magazine

Russian Mi-8 Helicopter Briefly Enters Polish Airspace: F-16s Scrambled to Respond

A Russian Armed Forces Mi-8 helicopter briefly entered Polish airspace from Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave on September 23, prompting the Polish Air Force to scramble fighter aircraft and place ground-based air-defence forces on standby. The fighters in question were reportedly F-16C/D Block 52s, which currently form the backbone of the fleet as deliveries of F-35s and South Korean FA-50s continue. The incident occurred near the northern Polish town of Braniewo, only a short distance from the Russian border, and comes amid heightened tensions along NATO’s eastern flank.