Nato rewrites rules of engagement to easily shoot down intruding Russian fighter jets

Military alliance bosses are thrashing out radical new regulations that would clear the path for shooting down Moscow's warplanes.

Behind-closed-doors negotiations are centred on hammering out unified protocols for confronting hostile aircraft. Top brass are pushing for Russian fighter jets laden with ground-strike weaponry flying through allied territory to become legitimate targets.

Military planners focus on weapons payload and flight trajectory

The "weaponry and trajectory" of any aircraft would be the key determining factors for perceived threat, a source briefed on the discussions said.

The controversial blueprint faces scrutiny from defence ministers gathering for crunch Nato talks on Wednesday, as the continent grapples with mounting dangers from Kremlin aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Alliance figureheads, including Donald Trump, have championed blasting Russian aircraft that violate Nato's territorial boundaries. Yet certain member nations harbour concerns that adopting a more aggressive posture risks sparking armed confrontation with the nuclear-armed adversary.

Top US commander privately champions unified air defence network

Alexus Grynkewich, a US General and Nato's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, has privately called for the creation of a "unified, single air and missile defence system" to streamline the response to any future provocations by Moscow.

Such an overhaul would empower the alliance's commanding officer to sweep away so-called "national caveats" that might obstruct his ability to deploy lethal force, insiders revealed.

Patchwork of engagement protocols creates confusion

Individual member nations currently follow contrasting engagement protocols whilst flying missions beneath the Nato banner. Certain countries mandate their aviators must achieve visual identification of suspected dangers before opening fire, whilst others permit action based purely on radar intelligence.

This discrepancy has triggered confidential deliberations regarding the threshold for downing a Kremlin jet penetrating allied airspace.

Just last month, the military alliance convened two urgent Article 4 emergency sessions following distinct Russian incursions into Estonian and Polish territory.

Italian stealth fighters scrambled to intercept MiG incursion

When three Russian MiG fighter jets crossed into Estonian airspace, modern Italian F-35s were scrambled to intercept them.

Kremlin warplanes received orders to withdraw before being shadowed to international boundaries in what military sources characterised as a "textbook" response to the incident.

Gen Grynkewich deemed the jets did not pose a threat to the alliance worthy of an armed response.

Subsequent intelligence analysis revealed the aircraft carried air-to-air weaponry and never attempted to achieve targeting locks on the Nato interceptors that converged on their position.

Ground-attack missiles could trigger lethal response

A decision to engage the Russian jets could have been taken had they been carrying air-to-surface missiles or been on a more aggressive flight path, according to scenarios discussed inside Nato.

Gen Grynkewich confronts another hurdle in consolidating three distinct aerial defence operations along the alliance's eastern frontier.

Alongside Eastern Sentry, which launched following multiple Russian drone violations of Polish airspace, Baltic Sentry has operated continuously since January commenced.

The alliance's training and support operation for Ukraine, likewise headquartered in Poland, maintains its dedicated air-defence component.

Commander grapples with fragmented command structure

Dozens of Nato allies are involved separately in each of these missions, leaving Gen Grynkewich with the headache of managing multiple national rules of engagement in what has been described internally as a "patchwork".

Berlin, Madrid, and Rome are perceived as occupying the more risk-averse end of the spectrum, notwithstanding their substantial contributions to each operation.

Senior alliance official backs elimination of national restrictions

"Trying to create a more unified, single, integrated air and missile defence system makes sense, and in order for him to do that, he needs to get rid of as many national caveats as possible," said a senior Nato diplomat. "We all have to look sharply and critically at whether those caveats still make sense."

Brussels will witness defence ministers debating the merger of the three operations to grant Gen Grynkewich enhanced operational latitude during Wednesday's gathering.

Mark Rutte, the Nato secretary general, said the discussions would "further strengthen our deterrence and defence posture, including in light of recent incidents".

Baltic nations demand upgraded defensive posture

Tallinn, with backing from fellow Baltic capitals, is demanding existing air-policing operations be elevated to comprehensive air-defence missions.

More risk-averse capitals have cautioned such a framework could exclusively be activated during wartime conditions as it necessitates closing airspace to commercial aviation and destroying any Kremlin jet that penetrates boundaries without hesitation.

Estonian politician blasts weak response to sovereignty violations

Raimond Kaljulaid, who chairs Estonia's delegation to Nato's parliamentary assembly, said: "When you say that you will only use force if there is a direct military threat you are in effect saying that under certain conditions violations of our airspace will have no consequences. That is weak.

"Instead, our public position should be that we have the right to respond in a manner that we see fit and Russia should know that perhaps next time our reaction will be something else.

"This idea that our reaction is dependent on the way the Russians are acting - threatening or not - could basically imply that you can also drive a tank across the border if it poses no immediate threat. Of course that is ridiculous. We either have borders or we don't."

Nearly 30 intercepts launched in single month

Copenhagen's military revealed on Tuesday that throughout June, Nato F-35s or F-16 scrambled 29 times to counter Russian military activity across the Baltic Sea.