As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues, NATO has been intensively monitoring the situation through secretive surveillance flights. These missions are critical in providing real-time intelligence to ground-based commanders and drawing a do-not-cross line in European skies.

The Associated Press obtained exclusive access aboard a French Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft, which conducted a 10-hour reconnaissance mission from central France to Romanian airspace and back. The mission involved monitoring activities across southern Ukraine and the Black Sea, extending to Russian-occupied Crimea. Operating at 34,000 feet, this AWACS fed intelligence in real-time to NATO commanders, enhancing the alliance’s situational awareness and preparedness

Additionally, Sky News reports that these flights are equipped with sensors to collect electronic and radio signals in monitored areas. Some are even capable of intercepting voice and text communications, providing insights into Russian military operations and movements. The positioning of these planes also indicates NATO’s areas of interest, especially concerning Russian troop build-ups along the Ukrainian border

These surveillance flights use various aircraft, including unmanned drones and modified Boeing 707s, equipped with advanced radar and surveillance gear. They can detect a wide range of military activities, including missile launches, bombing runs, and ship movements. The French AWACS, for instance, can see for hundreds of kilometers, though precise capabilities remain classified.