Spanish jet accidentally fires missile over Estonia

A Eurofighter Typhoon of the Spanish Air Force accidentally fired and air-to-air AMRAAM missile during a drill in Estonian air space.

According to news portal Origo, the missile was last located some 40 kilometers north of Estonia’s second largest city, Tartu.

The 3.7 meter long missile carries an explosive payload of 10 kilograms (22 pounds). The missile has a built-in self-destruct feature for such accidents, but it may not have detonated and possibly landed somewhere near Tartu.

AIM-120 AMRAAM being loaded onto an F16 fighter.

Image: Staff Sergeant Vince Parker (USAF)

Estonia and the two other Baltic states, Latvia and Lithuania do not have air patrol capabilities and air policing missions are carried out by their NATO allies in four-month rotations from the Ämari Air Base in Harju County, Estonia. Usual deployments consist of four fighter aircraft with between 50 and 100 support personnel.

The air forces of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland have also served in these rotations.