RAF Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon fighter aircraft were launched from RAF Lossiemouth on 25 May to support NATO activity against a potential incursion of Russian air activity near NATO and national airspace, the UK Defence Journal understands.
An aircraft not in communication with air traffic control was detected heading down the Norwegian coast toward UK airspace. RAF Lossiemouth jets subsequently patrolled northeast of Shetland.
The UK Defence Journal understands the tasking was related to potential Russian air activity near NATO and national airspace.
The MoD confirmed the launch in a statement from an RAF spokesperson, who said: “RAF Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon fighter aircraft were launched on 25 May from RAF Lossiemouth this afternoon. The Typhoons were supported by a Voyager from RAF Brize Norton.”
Open source flight tracking had identified a KC.2 Voyager tanker with the callsign TARTAN 11, registration ZZ336, routing from RAF Brize Norton toward Lossiemouth ahead of the tasking. A Typhoon FGR.4 operating under the callsign PHANTOM 12 was also identified as likely airborne in connection with the scramble.
QRA is a routine part of the RAF’s air defence role. Aircraft are launched to intercept unidentified contacts that cannot be identified by any other means, including those not talking to civilian or military air traffic control, that have not filed a flight plan, or are not transmitting a recognisable secondary surveillance radar code. The RAF’s QRA aircraft are held at immediate readiness and can take off within minutes.
The paramount duty of the RAF is to control the air over the United Kingdom and, when necessary, UK interests overseas. Multirole Typhoon squadrons provide QRA duties from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, and in the Falkland Islands. Under the direction of Air Battlespace Controllers at RAF Boulmer in Northumberland, fighters can be scrambled to intercept, identify and, if required, intervene against aircraft approaching UK shores.
Great Article highlighting the fantastic work our brave men and women carry out 24/7.
(Apple on It’s way).
🍎’s don’t cut it in this weather! I’m bringing a tropical fruit apocalypse slushie (homemade) in tomorrow!
Teachers Pet !
Just cause Sunray banned you 😁😁😁😁
👍🤣🤣
Russian will attack UK soon I believe
I remember Lightnings doing this. Far noisier and faster. Very pretty. Shacks were doing AEW too. Russian trawlers were always gathering intel off the coasts. What was different to this? It was normal and we just got on with life. People are very excitable nowadays.
Morning John.
Interestingly, the comparison In regards to rate of climb puts Typhoon comfortably ahead of Lightning.
I grew up with these “Balistic Missiles” and often used to watch them go vertical in a waft of smoke one after the other.
Such Impressive performance that left It’s mark on a young, soon to be Adrenalin Junkie !
Not sure If the Russian aircraft have actually changed much.
The Lightning was not faster or louder. Fantastic aircraft for its day. But i see some daft comparisons online
It’s like comparing a BSA Gold Star with a Suzuki Hayabusa…. Both fast In their own era but things move on.
Tiny range.
Poor Red Top SAMs.
Crap radar.
To name but 3.
Plus side, I think QRA launch to required altitude unmatched but not needed in the era of the UKADR where Tornado F3 with it’s long range was far more useful.
Yep. A great pilots aircraft. But in a real shooting war, next to useless. It could do an impressive climb rate. But then come straight home for more fuel.
Ha! Vs the situational awareness of F35 or Typhoon.
The Lightning had zero defensive aids. Not even a basic RWR. Ian Black the famous RAF Pilot & aviation photographer. He was a Lightning pilot, then the Tornado F3, then the Mirage 2000 on exchange tour. He always said the Mirage was great. But if he had to go to war, he would’ve picked the Tornado F3
Me too, only it was called IAF back then.
Yup Binbrook was alive chap 😀
I went to the last Lightning farewell airshow at RAF Binbrook. It chucked it down with rain all day.
Morning sunshine ☀ oh aye Typhoon is good but not fully British. I rate the SU 30 series. We sadly do not produce the way we used to. I even use Chezchlosovakian rifle now…..
Great course of information.
The tanker was already doing a scheduled AAR sortie to the North East of Aberdeen.
Another one was doing similar AAR tasking near the Wash.
We used to do this very regularly in 80s, and I also did a few down in the Falklands to boot F4s and F3s , sometimes the Lightning out of Binbrook too.
So we send up aircraft to deter the ruskies. Yea they that bothered they come back with a smirk on there faces. If we got too near the. In there country they wiuld not hessitate to leave a reminder. Saying that starmer would be craping himself and be asking for mu.m to stop them.
Yep. A great pilots aircraft. But in a real shooting war, next to useless. It could do an impressive climb rate. But then come straight home for more fuel.
Used to encounter these incursions regularly in the 70’s when I was stationed at RAF Saxa Vord only it was a Victor tanker and a couple of Lightnings or Phantoms went up to say hello to the Ruskies and send them one their way. All change now with a RRH replacing all that went before, such is progress and modern technology.