Swedish electronic intelligence plane spends almost seven hours over Black Sea
Quick Look
A Swedish Air Force Gulfstream S102B Korpen electronic intelligence plane conducted a seven-hour reconnaissance flight over the Black Sea, operating from Bucharest and remaining in neutral airspace, according to air traffic control sources.
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Why It Matters
The Swedish Air Force uses the Gulfstream S102B Korpen for electronic intelligence gathering. These flights often occur in international airspace near areas of strategic interest.
MOSCOW, October 6. /TASS/. An electronic intelligence (ELINT) plane of the Swedish Air Force spent almost seven hours over the neutral waters of the Black Sea, a source in the European Union’s air traffic control services has told TASS.
"The Swedish Air Force’s ELINT plane spent almost seven hours over the southern part of the Black Sea, flying from west to east and back at an altitude of about 13 kilometers," the source said.
In his words, the Gulfstream S102B Korpen took off from an airport in Bucharest, beginning its flight over the Black Sea waters at around 6:35 a.m. GMT.
The same aircraft was spotted over the Black Sea the previous day, but on that occasion it flew from Sweden’s Malmen military base and followed the same route for slightly more than four hours.
"Both yesterday and today, the plane operated outside the established civil air traffic corridors, without entering any coastal country’s airspace," the source said.
The plane has already landed in Romania’s capital Bucharest.
Earlier, an air traffic source informed that flights by Sweden’s reconnaissance aircraft in the Black Sea are a rare occasion. However, its flight path coincides with the route of NATO’s Bombardier Artemis II reconnaissance aircraft, whose flights are often observed in the area.
Open Questions
- What specific intelligence was the aircraft gathering?
- Why did the flight duration increase compared to the previous day?
