WEBVTT 00:01.379 --> 00:03.569 Every day . Nato's air forces are on 00:03.579 --> 00:05.820 watch to keep the skies above us safe . 00:06.150 --> 00:07.983 Sometimes they detect suspicious 00:07.983 --> 00:10.100 activity near nato's borders and so 00:10.109 --> 00:12.331 rapidly launch fighter jets to approach 00:12.331 --> 00:14.498 the unknown aircraft and investigate . 00:14.510 --> 00:16.677 This is known as an air interception . 00:16.750 --> 00:18.028 But how does it work ? 00:21.329 --> 00:23.530 First , civilian or military radars 00:23.540 --> 00:25.207 detect an aircraft that isn't 00:25.207 --> 00:27.429 transmitting an identification code . A 00:27.429 --> 00:29.429 unique identifier that can link the 00:29.429 --> 00:31.651 aircraft to a filed flight plan or help 00:31.651 --> 00:33.873 military aircraft determine friend from 00:33.873 --> 00:36.029 foe . They alert nato's combined air 00:36.040 --> 00:37.990 operations centers or chaos . 00:40.200 --> 00:42.256 Torrejon in Spain is responsible for 00:42.256 --> 00:44.311 air traffic in the south of Europe . 00:44.311 --> 00:46.589 While Ko in Germany handles everything . 00:46.589 --> 00:48.990 North air traffic controllers attempt 00:49.000 --> 00:51.310 to contact the aircraft if that doesn't 00:51.319 --> 00:53.541 work . Their commanders may decide that 00:53.541 --> 00:55.541 NATO needs to visually identify the 00:55.541 --> 00:57.560 radar track . This means scrambling 00:57.569 --> 00:58.569 fighter jets . 01:01.880 --> 01:03.991 The scramble could launch from one of 01:03.991 --> 01:06.102 the more than 32 air bases throughout 01:06.102 --> 01:08.047 NATO where allies keep fighters on 01:08.047 --> 01:10.213 permanent quick reaction alert or QR A 01:10.213 --> 01:12.380 status which indicates a state of high 01:12.380 --> 01:16.080 readiness pilots on QR A have 15 01:16.089 --> 01:18.200 minutes to get ready , get into their 01:18.200 --> 01:21.209 jets and take off controllers on the 01:21.220 --> 01:23.331 ground . Give them a heading altitude 01:23.331 --> 01:25.331 and distance to interception . They 01:25.331 --> 01:27.164 don't know what they'll find but 01:27.164 --> 01:30.639 they're prepared for anything . We , 01:31.150 --> 01:33.279 at this turn , the pilots find the 01:33.290 --> 01:35.123 aircraft and get close enough to 01:35.123 --> 01:37.290 visually identify it while maintaining 01:37.290 --> 01:39.449 a safe distance . Sometimes the 01:39.459 --> 01:41.237 unidentified planes are foreign 01:41.237 --> 01:43.519 military aircraft . For example , 01:43.529 --> 01:45.362 Russian jets passing near NATO , 01:45.362 --> 01:47.419 airspace routinely and dangerously 01:47.430 --> 01:49.541 ignore communication from air traffic 01:49.541 --> 01:51.750 controllers . Where's this thing ? 01:53.629 --> 01:55.796 If the unresponsive plane is a foreign 01:55.796 --> 01:57.851 jet transiting through international 01:57.851 --> 01:59.629 airspace ? NATO pilots note the 01:59.629 --> 02:01.629 aircraft type watch for any unusual 02:01.629 --> 02:03.518 behavior and report back to their 02:03.518 --> 02:06.080 ground controllers . Once the aircraft 02:06.089 --> 02:08.470 is safely away from NATO airspace , the 02:08.479 --> 02:10.669 allied fighters break off their and 02:10.679 --> 02:14.270 return to base . Often the unresponsive 02:14.279 --> 02:15.890 aircraft is a civilian plane 02:15.890 --> 02:17.557 experiencing a communications 02:17.557 --> 02:19.830 malfunction . NATO jets can confirm the 02:19.839 --> 02:22.300 problem using hand signals and help the 02:22.309 --> 02:23.309 plane to safety . 02:27.649 --> 02:29.760 Once their mission is completed , the 02:29.760 --> 02:31.760 jets return to their home station . 02:31.820 --> 02:34.009 Allied pilots are on call 24 hours a 02:34.020 --> 02:37.610 day , 365 days a year ready to keep 02:37.619 --> 02:39.380 NATO airspace safe .