RAF Typhoon fighters launched against aircraft 'approaching UK area of interest' for second day in

As the jets launched for a second consecutive day, the RAF said it would say nothing more until the operation was "complete". Yesterday's incident was to intercept and escort four Russian Bear aircraft.

RAF Typhoon fighters have been launched against aircraft "approaching the UK area of interest" for the second day in a row.

They were again dispatched from RAF Lossiemouth in Moray, with support from a Voyager air-to-air refuelling tanker based at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.

An RAF spokesperson said: "Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon fighters from RAF Lossiemouth, supported by a Voyager Tanker from RAF Brize Norton, have been launched against aircraft approaching the UK area of interest.

According to Reuters, Russian "strategic bombers"

RAF Typhoon fighters launched against aircraft 'approaching UK area of interest' for second day in a row

Second day in a row the QRA (Quick reaction alert) picked up Russian bombers off the north of Scotland.
Seems to be an area of interest which makes me slightly suspicious of the intention of the Tupolev Tu-95's were.

HMNB Clyde (Faslane) is situated around the area so maybe that's the potential area of strategic interest? The incursions have been happening for a long time now but with tensions high we're kinda poised.

We've had Hawk T1As and Typhoons exercising off the east coast regularly this week. They do it often but seems to have been more frequent last few days. Although, normally is just Typhoons, I have no idea what T1As are used for.

a reply to: deviant300

The Russians will have been "passing through" and we gave them the bells and whistles escort in essence.

It's a UK area of interest for multiple reasons but in this case it's mostly down to the fact it's British controlled international air space and potentially armed assets of a foreign nation are passing through it. We're talking minutes from Scotland if those bombers decided to deviate course.

From an economic perspective the seas surrounding North Scotland are very important for gas drilling and renewable energy, I'm sure their was a recent selling of rights in regards to wind farms. Probably not relevant but figured I'd add it.

The main point as it always has been is the fact Russian bombers are buzzing airspace that would put them minutes away from major cities, ports and bases. It's only natural we'd pop up to say hello, not sure there's an overall increase. Most likely given the political climate of the day.

I always love when the media gets wind of these interceptions. They happen far more often than the media reports. Russia intercepts Western aircraft in their area of responsibility, and we intercept their aircraft in our area of responsibility. In 2020, the US intercepted 60 Russian aircraft, and monitored an undisclosed number that was higher. Not all Russian aircraft are intercepted, and are watched by ground based radar, or airborne radar if it's available.

100%. They happen all the time. Just Russia keeping its crews active and probing. Not sure if we do it to them at all.

Definitely seen an uptick of activity here in Wales.

a reply to: ARM1968

Lakenheath just started getting F-35s, and the Grim Reapers are leaving, so they're getting initial and final flights through the Mach Loop taken care of.

a reply to: deviant300

This is nothing to worry about.
They just want to liberate Russians.

a reply to: Zaphod58

the tanker is interesting


usually interceptions like that don't need tankers, just a few dips of the wings and maybe some acrobatics depending on what the Russians are flying that day.


i wonder if they picked up something else along with them, or in them

a reply to: noscopebacon

Alert aircraft frequently need tankers. They have to get to the area quickly, which means afterburners, which means a lot of fuel being used.

a reply to: Zaphod58

maybe i miss read it but it seemed they were right in the channel

the UK isn't that big as it is, compaired to Canada or AUS. so you would think they would be able to put a jet up from a local or close AFB and 'escort them'.


i know in the 80's early 90's the Russians would give you radio warnings than they would make visual contact with the cockpit and show they are armed and if they still didn't divert they would fire a few 20mm over the nose of the 'offending' aircraft

for historical context that situation played out and it is thought that a off course Korean passenger jet was a US spy aircraft but still had all the lights on and the classic civilian window pattern. the Russians went down their check list and when the passenger jet didn't see the 22mm round(tracers) they fell back and shot it down with 2 radar guided missiles killing all souls on board, 246 Flight 007.


Russians radio chatter on that night





here is what POTUS Reagan's response was to the attack

a reply to: noscopebacon

we are on the razors edge.


i just got home the other night as we were told to leave now or maybe get stuck in a war in the Ukraine

his words echo today maybe louder than it did when he gave that speech


but this time if there are shoot down or killing i worry that there wont be a sane person to pulls us back from the brink

a reply to: noscopebacon

Just like the US, not every RAF base has QRA aircraft.

a reply to: Zaphod58

but they have jets that could cross that island in minutes at high altitudes and at least Mach 1.

i would get using a tanker if you had to just dump all you fuel into the after burners

i know Russia like to play cat and mouse and with how things are going right now one mistake, say the Russia jet crashed trying to shake the UK fighters or trying to play very dangerous games(as they are known to do) with jets.

here is one from 2016 the jet flew almost so low the deck crew could have touched it(hyperbole)

a reply to: noscopebacon

How do you think that they GET to Mach 1? They dump all their fuel into afterburners. And on a QRA mission, how do you think they get to the area quickly? They dump all their fuel into afterburners until just below Mach 1, pull the throttle back and occasionally push it up again.

a reply to: Zaphod58

turn and burn baby.

there are a lot of RAF airbases a jet could be sent from and not need anything out a tank or two


--

who do you think is going to shoot first, them or us

something is going to pop off in a big way.

i mean they moved us out of the area and i was there to protect a building(the one i was staying in).


i KNOW the people there are so shell shocked they are getting used to shells and MLRS attacks as a normal part of the day.


that being said i would like to get my hands on a tandem warhead RPG

a reply to: Zaphod58

Fast like a NASCAR!!



I know you used to work with planes in the military Zaph. Did you ever get to fly them?

Going supersonic sounds like one heck of a ride.

a reply to: gpols

you dnt even know when you break the sound barrier in the cockpit if it weren't for the instruments


no bang, no shaking, nadda

a reply to: noscopebacon

I guess that makes sense.

When you break the sound barrier you're going faster than sound so you're ahead of the boom.

Going for a ride in a Ferrari or Lamborghini of the sky is definitely on my bucket list.

a reply to: noscopebacon

And, again, not every RAF base has a QRA element. You don’t send up an unarmed fighter on a QRA mission.

a reply to: gpols

A brief stint flying a KC-135 one day, and many flights on them and a KC-10 and a C-130. But that’s about it.