RAF on high alert due to heightened Arctic activity

The Royal Air Force will be on high alert in the coming days in order to intercept a flight from the Arctic region.

The aircraft is understood to have ‘good or bad’ intelligence gathering capabilities.

The move has been prompted by an incident around a year ago in which Typhoon aircraft escorted a Lapland registered aircraft (flying from the Arctic region) over the UK’s major cities, the pilot of the craft was said to be under the influence of alcohol and very “festive”, this is especially dangerous due to the sheer volume of cargo the aircraft was carrying.

This is expected to happen again towards the end of this month on the 24th through to the 25th.

MoD spokesman Christopher Cringle had this to say:

“Interception is part of what the QRA force do. We have to identify and confirm who or what is flying through our airspace or approaching our airspace and since the craft appears at the same time each year, we have a fairly good idea who will be flying but we don’t take any chances.”

The Ministry of Defence used satellites with infrared sensors to track the aircraft last time this happened, it is understood that the heat from an animals red nose was clearly visible and it was at this point RAF aircraft began escorting the jet over every British city, town and village.

More on this as it develops.