13:36 GMT, May 8, 2009 defpro.com | According to the Austrian Ministry of Defence, two Eurofighters of the Austrian Armed Forces (Bundesheer) today intercepted and identified a Russian passenger plane over Lower Austrian airspace. In order to intercept the airplane the pilots for the first time had to fly at supersonic speed. Previously, no radio contact could be made with the civilian aircraft by the Austrian air traffic control.
The Russian YAK 40 took off in Innsbruck, Austria, and headed towards Moscow as scheduled. As of the city of Linz no radio contact could be made, which represents a legal breach of Austria’s sovereignty over the airspace. As common in such events, the Bundesheer’s Air Surveillance Command gave an alarm.
At about 12:15 CET two Eurofighters scrambled for a “Priority A” mission from Hinterstoisser Airbase near Zeltweg. During approximately three minutes the fighter aircraft flew at supersonic speed while approaching the Russian airliner. At 12:32 the interceptors identified the airplane in the vicinity of the Austrian capital. The Russian airplane subsequently left the Austrian airspace heading to Slovakia. Both Eurofighters returned to their home base at 12:56.
Suchlike interception missions in order to identify aircraft repeatedly take place and are a standard procedure within air surveillance operations of the Bundesheer. Since July 2008 Eurofighter Typhoon took over the protection of Austrian airspace under the leadership of the Joint Armed Forces Command, Graz, and the Air Surveillance Command, Wals, of the Austrian military.
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