Mystery flight across Europe not acted on, why have fast response jets?

Del2005

So with all the talk of us getting fighter aircraft it seems that NATO isn't bothered about mystery flights across the East of Europe next to a war zone. A plane flew into Lithuania, where it refuelled!, and then to Bulgaria with no authorisation and it was intercepted by several air forces but it ignored all attempts to communicate yet was left fly across several countries.

So if NATO next to a war zone ignores illegal flights what would we do if we had aircraft to intercept a non responsive plane? No politician is going to order the shooting down of an airliner or private aircraft so having fast jets to escort it to where it wants to go is a bit stupid.

https://www.euronews.com/2022/06/10/bulgaria-hunts-for-mystery-pilot-who-flew-across-several-european-countries

kevinandrew

The article states it was intercepted by Hungarian and Romanian fighters, identified as a twin engined Beechcraft, and when it entered Bulgarian airspace it was deemed not a threat.

It refuelled in northwestern Bulgaria before landing at an abandoned air field where the aircraft was found by authorities but the occupants had already gone.

It did not land in Lithuania.

I don’t think shooting a twin engined Beechcraft out of the sky was the solution we’re looking for here. The relevant authorities and air forces did what was required of them based on the perceived threat. It could be argued that the Bulgarian defence forces should have intercepted once it was in their air space, like the Romanians and Hungarians did, so the occupants could have been met when it landed but their assessment of the threat was different.

EchoIndia

It was a PA-23-250 Aztec. This one: https://flic.kr/p/2jjnAkh

kevinandrew

More detailed account here;

https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/31279-ghost-plane-sold-before-suspicious-flight-to-bulgaria

Definitely usual, the sudden sale of the aircraft and incident at the air field possibly suggests organised crime or a Russian national wanting to evade detection for one reason or another. The Bulgarian Minister of Defence says it was never a threat to civilian or military infrastructure and was flying too low and at low speed to be intercepted by their fighters.

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119188678#Comment_119188678

How could they be certain that an aircraft that they couldn't make contact with that flew over several countries was no treat to civilians? It can't have flown that far without flying by multiple mass casualty opportunities.

The plane was to low and slow to intercept it!! I'd of hoped that NATO countries, boarding a warzone where the belligerent has made treats to attack them, would be able to stop a 60 year old aircraft penatratimg their airspace. Did they forget how the Bismarck was crippled? The invasion has shown that Russia is a paper tiger, NATO doesn't look much better after this.

mazdamiatamx5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058249727/mystery-flight-across-europe-not-acted-on-why-have-fast-response-jets

Lol. I don’t think that yoke is carrying too many dangerous weapons. We’re talking the Nissan Micra of the aircraft world here.

AnRothar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119190114#Comment_119190114

More like the ford festia