RAF Typhoons intercept multiple Russian aircraft

RAF Typhoons were yesterday (Tuesday 17 June) scrambled to intercept multiple Russian aircraft as part of NATO's ongoing mission to police Baltic airspace. The Typhoon aircraft, from 3 (Fighter) Squadron, were launched after four separate groups of aircraft were detected by NATO air defences in international airspace near to the Baltic States.

Once airborne, the British jets identified the aircraft as a Russian Tupolev Tu22 'Backfire' bomber, four Sukhoi Su27 'Flanker' fighters, one Beriev A50 'Mainstay' early warning aircraft and an Antonov An26 'Curl' transport aircraft who appeared to be carrying out a variety of routine training. The Russian aircraft were monitored by the RAF Typhoons and escorted on their way.

The Typhoon pilots involved in the operation were Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Mark Long of 29 (Reserve) Squadron (the Typhoon operational training unit) and a French Air Force exchange pilot Commandant Marc-antoine Gerrard who is currently attached to 1(Fighter) Squadron.

Flt Lt Long said: "The Typhoon is a superb aircraft that makes intercepting other aircraft exceptionally easy, today's interception of the Russian Flankers is all in days work for an RAF fighter pilot."

Typhoon Detachment Commander Wing Commander Ian Townsend said: "we regularly intercept Russian and civilian aircraft from UK Quick Reaction Alert and so this type of mission is core business for us and exactly what we were sent to the Baltic region by NATO to do. It was a thoroughly successful operation with both my groundcrew and aircrew performing to the exacting professional high standards I have come to expect."

RAF Typhoons to bolster NATO air policing mission

Four Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft deployed today to take part in the NATO Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission over Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. As announced to the House of Commons by the Defence Secretary in March, the UK fast jets will reinforce the Polish contribution to the BAP - a standing defensive mission undertaken by rotations of aircraft from contributing nations on a four month cycle. The deployment forms part of a series of measures taken by NATO to support and reassure its Eastern member states.

Defence Secretary, Philip Hammond MP, said: "In the wake of recent events in Ukraine, it is right that NATO takes steps to reaffirm very publicly its commitment to the collective security of its members. As a leading member of NATO, the UK is playing a central role, underlined by today's deployment of RAF Typhoon aircraft to Lithuania. This, alongside the other action we are taking, will provide reassurance to our NATO allies in Eastern Europe and the Baltic states."

As part of standing arrangements within NATO, members of the Alliance without their own air policing assets are assisted by others. It is on this basis that the BAP mission has existed since 2004. The RAF's Typhoon FGR4, based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire and RAF Leuchars in Fife, is also used to provide air policing within UK airspace as part of the Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) and in the Falkland Islands. A multi-role combat aircraft, it is capable of being deployed in the full spectrum of air operations, from air policing through to high intensity conflict.

This Typhoon deployment comes six weeks after the UK Sentry E-3D AWACS (Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircraft), which is part of the NATO AWACS Force, was deployed to Polish and Romanian airspace to provide additional reassurance to Allies.