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| A Tension, Royal Air Force Deploys Typhoons To Intercept Russian Tu-142 Aircraft |
International Military - Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon Fighter Jets from RAF Lossiemouth were deployed to intercept Russian Military aircraft operating near British airspace. The object intercepted was a Tu-142 Maritime Patrol aircraft (NATO: Bear-F).
Reportedly, the Tu-142 approached from or northeast and flew in international airspace over the Norwegian Sea and North Atlantic Ocean. In no time the Russian aircraft entered British sovereign airspace.
Typhoon Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) was launched to intercept an unidentified aircraft flying in the nearby UK area. The QRA procedure involved RAF aircraft and crew being kept on high alert 24/7 so they could take off within minutes to protect British sovereign airspace. Norwegian F-35A Fighter Jets were also launched as part of NATO's response to the Russian aircraft.
Additional air support was provided by Voyager tankers from RAF Brize Norton, along with command and control from the National Air and Space Operations Center at RAF High Wycombe and Air Surveillance and Control Systems from RAF High Wycombe, RAF Boulmer Base.
The Tu-142 aircraft is used for reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare. Four such Russian planes were intercepted in February last year as tensions between the Kremlin and Kiev escalated.