Birds, Not Drones: NATO Jet Responds to False Alarm in Lithuania
By Editor • September 13, 2026 • 1 min read
A NATO jet was dispatched to Vilnius, Lithuania, over a reported drone sighting, only to find that the perceived threat was actually a flock of birds. The incident led to the temporary closure of the airport as officials took precautionary measures.
The alarm was raised when radar detected what appeared to be a drone. However, after a swift response, the fighter jet, which had been deployed from Siauliai as part of the NATO Baltic Air Defence mission, confirmed the sighting was harmless. Lithuania's National Crisis Management Centre reported that the air alert was lifted and the airport resumed operations within just 38 minutes.
The situation highlights the challenges of distinguishing between drones and birds on radar, as initial readings can produce similar signals. This incident comes amid growing concerns over military drones intruding into the airspace of neighboring countries, including Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Source: www.independent.co.uk
