The RAF jets were scrambled to intercept a Russian aircraft ‘operating near the UK’ , the MoD confirmed, just days after the Royal Navy followed submarines which had entered the English Channel
RAF jets were quickly scrambled to intercept a Russian aircraft ‘operating near the UK’, the Government has confirmed.
Two Typhoons were scrambled from the RAF air base at Lossiemouth yesterday, supported by a Voyager from RAF Brize Norton. The Ministry of Defence said in a statement that the the aircraft had been deployed to intercept two Russian Bear-F aircraft found flying near the UK.
The RAF jets were launched under NATO command, and the aircraft continued to be monitored as it passed through international airspace. Typhoon fighters escorted the aircraft out of the UK’s Flight Information Region and “at no time did the Russian aircraft enter UK sovereign airspace”, said the MoD.
Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said: “This government is committed to making the UK secure at home and strong abroad. Efforts by the Royal Navy and RAF over the last two weeks demonstrate their selfless commitment to protecting our national security. I’d like to thank those members of our armed forces who took part in this operation, their professionalism and skill was on full display while working seamlessly with our NATO allies to uphold international standards.”
It comes after the Royal Navy stepped in to track and deter two Russian submarines which sailed through the English Channel and North Sea. In a six-day operation led in conjunction with NATO allies, the Portsmouth-based frigate HMS Iron Duke shadowed the Kilo-class submarine Novorossiysk and its supporting tug Evgeny Churov before it left through the Dover Strait and into the Atlantic.
The carefully-choreographed operation to follow the Russian subs began at the start of September, when Canadian warship HMCS Shawinigan escorted the diesel-powered submarine and support vessel as they sailed from the Baltic and across the North Sea. The Canadian patrol ship handed over monitoring duties to the Royal Navy as the Russian vessels approached the Dover Strait, a busy shipping route. It followed a period of intense training by the Royal Navy over the summer.
Commanding Officer of HMS Iron Duke Commander David Armstrong said: “These were the fourth and fifth such operations for HMS Iron Duke since we emerged from a period of intense training in July, and I am extremely proud of the professionalism and selfless dedication that my ship’s company consistently display as they perform their duty. Maritime security operations of this nature are a fundamental capability of the Royal Navy, with the protection of our sovereign waters and critical national infrastructure a key focus.”