Royal Air Force Typhoon fighters stationed in Estonia were dispatched twice within a 24-hour time frame to monitor Russian aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea, according to a recent press release.
On the first occasion, RAF Typhoons, along with Swedish Air Force Gripens, were scrambled to keep tabs on a Russian Air Force IL-20 and a Su-27 flying near NATO and Swedish airspace.
The following day, RAF Typhoons were again deployed, initially to intercept two Russian transport aircraft, an Antonov An-12 Cub and an Antonov An-72 Coaler. Subsequently, the Typhoons were re-tasked to monitor two Tupolev Tu-22M bombers and two Su-30SM fighters that were also flying southward over the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea.
During the second operation, the RAF Typhoons were joined by Finnish Air Force F-18s, and later by Swedish Air Force Gripens. Portuguese and Romanian F16s, stationed at the Siauliai Airbase in Lithuania, also participated in escorting the Russian aircraft through Latvian and Lithuanian airspaces.
On both occasions, the press release noted that the Russian aircraft did not communicate with the relevant Flight Information Regions, although they “remained in international airspace and flew in a professional manner.”
The Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace MP, commented on the incident by stating, “These intercepts are a stark reminder that the RAF is always ready to defend our skies and those of our allies, while the coordinated action by several air forces serves as well as a clear demonstration of the value of our international alliances.”
This activity coincides with NATO’s ongoing naval exercises in the Baltic Sea as part of BALTOPs, in which Russian aircraft have been expected to monitor allied vessels. The RAF’s 140 Expeditionary Air Wing is presently stationed at Amari Airbase in Estonia as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing Mission.
The defence estabishment here is so fixated on NATO Article V that there are no UK Air Defence systems around any of our military bases. The Army has been eviscerated by repeated cuts in their capability and we could not now assemble a single armoured division. Our stocks of ammmunition, particularly artillery shells, MANPADS and ATGW have been run down as we support Ukraine and are only slowly being replaced – at the glacial speed of the MoD. And America is now focused on China The Ajax procurement disaster results in no vehicles being available until 2028 despite £billions being… Read more »
Very well said 👍
No sign of any significant changes as defence spending isn’t a vote winner, simple as that unfortunately and our political classes on both sides simply don’t care.
I am astonished the Americans put up with this level of disarmament from us, I really am.
The UK bangs on about the special relationship, but it’s hard to see what’s special about it as the US basically have to step in and underwrite our defence, with the US tax payer footing the bill…..
Unfortunately, you’re right.
(With one caveat: have spent an enormous amount of weapons imports from the US 😉 )
All part of the overall wastage David…
Should Britain need to rearm (relitivly) quickly, the only way would be to wholesale adopt US equipment off the shelf.
Probably secondhand F16’s for one…
The US puts up with it because Britain consistently proves itself militarily. We are their most valuable allies. Whether it’s the Gulf War, Invasion of Iraq, Afghanistan, Kabul evacuation, Aid to Ukraine or Sudan evacuation Britain is always second only to the US. Recently the Navy has been getting some bad press with the retirement of the Waves and poor state of Fort Vic and T23s. In reality a lot of those issues aren’t new and are from decisions made years ago. The RN is facing a minor setback with this, but the future does look very bright. More F35B,… Read more »
Jam tomorrow kind of guy.
Interested in your use of the word
‘valuable’
Chosen deliberately? Subliminal error?
Many allies are valuable to the US – we all buy their weapons.
I’m just of the opinion that the RN can’t do much short term. They have already bought Proteus and Stirling Castle, there isn’t much else they can do.
Valuable was perhaps a poor word choice, but I think the point still stands that Britain is their most useful ally militarily.
I thank you for your frank reply.
The UK is like the Emperor’s clothes; we have nothing in the closet.
Invaluable as an adjective would have been open to polite humour.
Nothing wrong with the choice of word “valuable”. UK / USA military alignment was and remains very valuable to both.
Scaremongering on steroids that was!
Interested in your comment on Article V. Is it actually a protection for us? Say the Russians attacked the AEGIS Ashore sites at some stage in the future and nothing else. Would the US (as boss of NATO) declare war on Russia and risk the destruction of parts of their country? Can’t see it myself.
Don’t see a lot of things do you? How is the drive to Poland going? Still supporting a terrorist state I suppose🙄
That’s a very interesting point which JIMK refuses to dwell on and instead resorts to the most pathetic claims in which to excuse Moscows failure to defeat the Ukraine: 1) So, for the failure to take Kyiv, he claims “It was a feint” 2) For the rout from Kharkiv and Kherson: “It was a Tactical withdrawal” 3) On taking 9 to 10 months to take the city of Bahkmut: “It was protected by defences dug in place over several years (The fact it was 30 miles from the front line and that Popasna (which was the front line from 2014 to 2022… Read more »
Interesting point about the Moskva, obviously it wasn’t a threat because it was pointing in the wrong direction, a bit like the Belgrano. If in any doubt, take it out.
It’s protection from you Johnski, not for you…
That has been the question throughout the cold war and remains a fundamental issue in the minds of some. US presidents have repeatedly reaffirmed that NATO article 5 is ironclad and based on Russian actions, they certainly believe it as they as they have never attempted overt military action against even the smallest members of NATO. Russia blusters a lot and talk about red lines but are careful not to do anything that would trigger a military response.
Would lame-duck Russia attack Nato, simply to see destruction of parts of Russia?
Neither can I “see it myself”😂
Cannot really disagree, very clearly the greatest threat to the UK will attacks on its military and key infrastructure by long range missiles. Infact most of the Russian SSN fleet has been refitted to sit in a bastion and lob missiles at NATO bases so we know that would be their plan. The UK should have a very good air defence system as it’s the only way we can be held at risk practically ( unless an enemy could shut down the key shipping lanes). It’s far to say we are now probably closer to a 1938 situation ( not… Read more »
Very good reply. The problem really is sovereign debt. The USA, the EU, the UK etc are all wallowing in debt, 100+% of GDP in most cases. Servicing our national debt with interest rates at 4.5% is costing us about £80 billion a year; we spend £50 billion on defence During the cold war the Russian threat was seen to be very real and we were spending 4.5% of GDP on defence. Now its about 2% and only that because they include the pension commitments. In 2021 there were about 136,000 trained service personel. The MoD had about 60,000 civvies… Read more »
The UK military adds more to NATO defence considering the greatest threat is long range missiles travelling over our NATO friends or Sub launched from one in the north Atlantic, which the Royal Navy does a substantial amount of guarding.
If it did kick off, who’s typhoon fighters would be first to step up, throughout history the UKs bar for military intervention has been lower than most European countries (although some of that will be that the UKs military has always been prepared)
The RN has insufficient ships to guard anything in the N Atlantic. Already this year we have paid off a frigate and only two of the T45 air defence destroyers have completed the PIP. The RN will have to wait until 2026 before the first Type 45 receives the Sea Ceptor upgrade
I could go on but the point I want to make is that we are involved in a major war with Russia that could turn really nasty at any moment. We are not prepared for this at all.
Lol the mighty Russian forces lol .woooop
I would beg to differ with your assessment David. The Russian Northern Fleet (which is what you are talking about ref NA), is not the same as that of the cold war. It is probably more hollowed out then the RN currently is. It certainly doesn’t have the ability to project maritime power into the Norwegian sea or beyond (WEO it’s SSGN force). It’s long range bomber force (Tu 22/Tu95 & Tu 160) are split between both Western and Eastern commands. It’s newest LR bomber – Tu 160 only numbers about 12-15 aircraft (the others are all at least 30yo).… Read more »
Even so, the capability cuts have gone too far. At a time when the politicians have given the MoD about £18billion in extra money we are still cutting capability. Scrapping the Hercs seriously reduces our airlift capability and ability to rapidy respond to an emergency; look what has just happened in Sudan. I cannot see the war criminal Putin accepting defeat in Ukr. We cannot be sure what his next moves will be. However, Poland, the Baltic states and now even Germany have seen the writing on the wall and are re-arming. We should recognise the reality and do the… Read more »
I think that we all agree that said cuts have gone too far. The release of the DCP later this month will tell us more I am sure, some of it might well be unpleasant to us all also. We have a relatively large defence budget, which, in all probability isn’t enough to match HMG’s ambitions (hence the extra £’s over the last few years). However, it must also be said, that what we do get could and should really be spent better, which might go someway towards addressing some of our capability shortfalls. There is an interesting article over… Read more »
You really need to tone down your hysterics … 🙄
I must agree. Sleepwalking off the gang plank unless we up our game rapidly.
And the enemy that you so keenly want to re-arm for, is who? The Russians? Just look at the state of their armed forces, and suddenly the scaremongering falls flat!
Putin and the Red Army is nowhere near the threat of Hitler and the Wehrmacht in 1939. Nowhere!
And from where must the money come for your steroid fuelled re-armament?
Johnski 😂 we all know what side you are trolling for, so don’t come here with your sanctimonious babble, trying to impress me with your ‘patriotism’ for the UK 😂
We know what your motivations are. You might have convinced yourself or some of the more naive here that you are are septugenerian retiree living in Milton Keynes, whose wife fled to Norway, but not everyone is that gullible. Walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, swims like a duck. It’s a duck. It’s perfectly obvious that you’re a Russian sock puppet tasked with disseminating Kremlin propaganda, misinformation , deflection and general bullshit. You fool no one.in your cheerleading of a nazi regime and your idiotic assumptions and predictions are proven wrong again and again. You couldn’t tell the… Read more »
Some people spread nothing but fake news propaganda like the UK got no air defence rubbish . The full NATO umbrella is all NATO members air defence . And I doubt very much Russia have the cababitly to penetrate nato umbrella air defence with any real effect . UK got several air defence systems .
I love your optimism re our AD when our GBAD is pretty minimal and effectively air based. You seem to be forgetting that NATO would have to defend against long range missiles as well as aircraft and that many attacks on the UK are likely to come from the north and even west where, apart from the RNAF there is little AD.
Of course you are assuming that the Orcs will have any missiles left aren’t you! Still not living in reality then the massive orc war machine is coming to get NATO still is it?
I don’t think you understand modern warfare it works in layers something the stone age Russians don’t understand .. It’s air land and sea air defence . We don’t swallow Russian hype and lies s400 rubbish can’t hit a bird at 2 mile. The Turkish leader now wants answers why Turkey bought the s 400 junk .
And them latest Russian Nuke subs are that loud they can be heared leaving dock Astute are decades in front of Russia junk . My mate in the Norwegian navy says the Russian subs are far easy to find
Peter I think it’s fair to say the UK air defences are not up to where they need to be considering we have very specific vital infrastructure that we need to keep in the game. We don’t have any defence against theatre level ballistic missiles, short and Medium range ( I’m not a believer in the expense of covering the intermediate and intercontinental ranges as your moving to multi stage orbital boosters and exoatmospheric kill vehicles, that have crap efficacy). Cruise missiles are best intercepted by ground based systems close to their flight path or target and we just don’t… Read more »
Jon like I said before very few people will know about our full air defence tactics I should imagine we are involved with the Yanks on UK air defence they don’t go public with everything . We do know Russia are not up to much that’s fact I for one never swallowed this might Russian military rubbish .
Bravo.
What is interesting is we could be seeing the first signs of a potential Russian civil war.. the Russian defence ministry has announced its effectively going to take over and draft all the fighters in the Wagner group and the Wagner group has said nope…so we could very well see some form of armed conflict between the Wagner group and Russian government forces….But what we now have is effectively a 60,000 strong military organisation in disputed with the Russian government…it could get very very interesting very very quickly, especially when you add in the summer offensive by Ukraine..could we see… Read more »
It seems to be the Russians bringing anyone fighting for them under the protection of the State, particularly in terms of pay, death and injury benefits to both them and their families, rather than the non standard terms that depend on where they volunteered. Thus bringing these costs into the central MoD budget. The number of volunteers is running at about 13,000 a month on an upward trend. Wagner already have standard terms. Looks to be a bureaucratic issue but I suspect that Wagner operatives might like to be State backed as opposed to Wagner’s. Or this could be yet… Read more »
Christ almighty take about a parallel universe! Your handlers are certainly working overtime for you today aren’t they😂
Don’t make me laugh this is not a bureaucratic issue, this is a very very significant power issue, it’s not giving the Wagner group terms and conditions, it’s forcefully making them part of the army and removing the Wagner groups leaders power. This is essentially one step away from armed conflict between Wagner group and the Russian army ( they have already been shooting at each other and as we know Wagner group even kidnapped a senior army officer). Well as for the ? hundreds of lost western vehicles , even Russia is saying it’s a few tens of vehicles… Read more »
He is back to his very best today isn’t he?😂 Are all Wagner mercenaries Russian? I am sure they don’t want to end up in a conscript army commanded by out of touch generals not getting paid etc. This can only end badly as Gasprom have their own ‘army’ as well.
Yes indeed..the stand off with Wagner is going to get very very interesting indeed. Either the Russian government back down or I think they are going to end up with fighting between Wagner and the Russian army…..you simply cannot have a private individual with and army of 60,000 men in dispute with a authoritarian government and it ends in any other way than blood…let’s be very honest If YP did not have a private army at his back he would probably be a dead man after falling out with the powers that be…Russia is starting to look a bit like… Read more »
Did you read all that Prigozhin said? Just in case, he reminded that he reported to Putin and operationally to Surovikin. That is he had no administrative link to Shoigu. Any stand=off as you put it is likely to be similar to his previous acrimony with the MoD, miraculously sorted usually to the detriment of Ukraine, as per the lack of ammo, a mirage to lure more reserves into Bakhmut. The warlord state you mentioned is much like Ukraine around 2014 before those ‘armies’ or ‘militia’ were absorbed into the UA. The biggest example probably being Kolomoisky’s 2000 strong militia… Read more »
It always amazes me that an Englishman in MK can be so,so clued up on all things Russian…🤔🙄 You must study little else.
Unless, of course, it is because you are one.
I just happened across a site called MP.net (short for MilitaryPhotos) early in 2014. It shut in 2015 due to photo copyright issues and became TheMess.net until that folded. So I’ve basically been interested in the goings on in Ukraine since then and, being retired and having the flexibility of using my computer every evening, I’ve spent a lot of time doing it. Google fills many gaps as well. I doubt that there are many, of any nationality, that have spent the number of hours I have down this rabbit hole. Some here accuse me of being a Russian troll… Read more »
Yeah, I think we can safely file that FSB seeded fiction into the same bin as the Moskva still sailing and Western bio labs etc. Your sudden faux concern for human rights rings hollow when not once have you addressed the summary executions of Ukrainian civilians, the torture and rape, the abduction of children, the looting of property etc by the Russian military.
An ‘independent thinker ‘ as you like to disguise yourself as would have no issue with condemning those crimes.
It’s irrelevant really now how many Russians died fighting against Germany in WW2. Russia is now a de facto nazi gangster state. I’ve no problem in calling them that, nor in calling out their apologists as shameless nazi supporters.
Despite the fact that Russia was complicit with nazi Germany at the beginning of WW2, it exaggerates and polticises the memories of those killed fighting in order to promote the idea that it somehow saved Europe from nazi – ism. Far from it. Funny that you mention the ‘immortals’ parade, didn’t see it this year, it’s almost as if the Kremlin didn’t want all those pictures of dead servicemen from Putin’s sordid quagmire in Ukraine being displayed . Along with your poor understanding of physics, military strategy, geopolitics, and morality , your last sentence shows how little you understand about… Read more »
JIMK wrote: “”The UA spring offensive, now 5 days old, seems to presenting them with real problems, minefields plus their lack of AD is giving RuAF attack helicopters almost free range. Resulting in destroyed or abandoned vehicles, including 2A6 Leopards, running into the many dozens if not hundreds. Whilst the Leopards seem to be partnered with Bradleys, the Challengers are reported to be with Strikers and have yet to see action.”” What a strange mindset you subscribe to: According to you Russia is making great progress inside the Ukrkaine moving at tens of feet a day. Ukraine which has advanced… Read more »
Where did I say that “Russia is making great progress”? Have you not noticed that the Russians is very deliberately not fighting this war in the “western” way? Rather than prioritizing the capture of territory and the capitulation of the government the Russians are very deliberately attriting the Ukrainian military.Their aim clearly the same as Napoleon, who always strove for the destruction of armies above the capture of territory. The UA is still a long way from the Russians first line of mainprepared defences and discovering just how difficult it is to attack without air cover, faced with recon and… Read more »
Yes, everybody has noticed, that’s why your Russian militia of rag-tag conscripts are doing so badly on the battlefield. Sixteen months and counting … 🙄😆
Ok let’s get into the figures on the Russian army…these are rounded numbers and remembered from research but are about right. The Russian army pre invasion of Ukraine had around 160,000 contracted professional soldiers, around half of these ( 80k) were professional soldiers and around half of these were conscripts who had signed a 2 year contract to get out of the squalid conditions the conscripts had to live in ( call them semi professionals) and around 150,000 conscripts ( one year conscripts) who essentially did manual Labour and had no military training…he then drafted a further 250,000 conscripts in… Read more »
No the conscription figures are close to what they were, the figures come from a large number of sources over long period of time…as for the 250k reservists called up..who do you think they were…they were conscripts, Russia did not have a significant semi professional reservists force as you see in the west ( they had started to build it but it was very small), those 250,000 called up were to all intents and purposes civilians and not a volunteer reservists..if your called up and have no choice your a conscript no matter how you wish to play semantics. As… Read more »
JIMK wrote: “”It seems to be the Russians bringing anyone fighting for them under the protection of the State, particularly in terms of pay, death and injury benefits to both them and their families, rather than the non standard terms that depend on where they volunteered. Thus bringing these costs into the central MoD budget.”” Plenty of news stories to be found across the net where Russians complain about the lack of payment from the central Russian MOD paymaster. Not only that, but there are plenty of stories where families have have been fobbed off at the high port regards… Read more »
JIMK wrote: “”Following the minefield successes on both sides, an interesting new ‘lash-up’ has appeared on the Russian side, the combination of a MLTB and the naval mine clearing mortar. A bit like a very short barreled MLRS. It looks like they are geared up to neutralise minefields, perhaps especially those laid randomly by either side’s remote mining systems.”” That so called wonder weapon is the A22 fire MRLS system designed to be fitted to Hovercrafts and landing craft in which to supress enemy positions. Brought into service in 1988, it consists of 22 tubes firing 3 types of munition out… Read more »
The A22 MRLS:
https://i.postimg.cc/7hDDMmVM/Opera-Snapshot-2023-06-11-222001-roe-ru.png
I do love it when he pokes his head up and see it taken off at the neck👍As usual an excellent put down,will he answer? NO😂
Finally and a big finally, why is Moscow having to remove MRLS systems off of landing ships and retrofitting them onto MTLB platforms when it has in service (well did in Feb 2022) TOS-1A Solntsepyok x45 TOS-2 Tosochka x 4 BM-21 Grad x 2250 BM-27 Uragan x 360 BM-30 Smerch/Tornado-S x 120 Tornado-S x ? Tornado-G x 180 Uragan-1M x 6 Could it be they are running short of ammo and decided to use an MRLS and its stocks which havent been used so far on mass. or have they lost that many MRLS systems they need to find alternative… Read more »
We will probably never know but Russia has Naval Infantry fighting in that area, so it could be as simple as them using equipment that they are trained on. Plus of course they likely have plentiful stocks just down the road in Crimea.
As they are very short range they would have to be pretty confident re not getting return fire.
It is assumed that they will blast the mines much as they would on a beach. Why would remote mines be different?.
Eh suppress enemy defences NOT clear minefields🙄keep it up because as usual when the facts come out you will again be proved to be a complete prat.
Just to confirm, the use of this weapon, even with a fragmentation warhead will not help clear a remotely laid minefield? Is that correct?
JIMK wrote: “”It is assumed that they will blast the mines much as they would on a beach. Why would remote mines be different?.”” Because static Mine fields are laid in lanes (rows) (which is why their positions are recorded on a map stating what type, how many and have to be marked with a Minefield sign written in white on a red background. So from that you can roughly gauge where the minefield starts and ends and so you can plan to clear a path for your advance. Be it Giant Viper/Python, a tank pushing a mine plough or… Read more »
JIMK wrote: “”It is assumed that they will blast the mines much as they would on a beach.”” Ok answer me this, why is it in your eyes only the Russians are using a jury-rigged lightweight MRLS system designed for use by Hovercrafts in which to clear minefields and not the thousands of MRLS systems already in use? Then there’s why hasn’t the much more technically advanced Western countries done likewise, instead they simply clear a path a few metres wide be it by the use of a long tube of explosives (Phyton/Giant viper etc) or by the use… Read more »
You obviously did not read Farouks explanation did you?
also as a former member of the Corps of Royal Engineers as is Farouk I might just have an inkling about mine fields😉
I agree. Interesting times. And I think the war will be decided by internal crap inside Russia. Dysfunctional state.
I feel I might be an outsider in this forum. But I read some interesting points You guys had, and I agree to many of your posts.
Cheers
The Russian troll MK deluded he belives the UK goes public with all its air defence secrets anybody who believes they know all our air defence secrets and tactics are deluded … We’ve seen Russian air defence it’s not fit for purpose air land and sea .
Deluded? I am not the only poster here who believes that we need a lot more AD, especially GBAD. Parking an AD destroyer in the Thames estuary is not really a satisfactory way to defend London and SE England.Whilst there are clearly aspects of what we have that are classified the types of product, numbers and general performance are widely known.
Apart from the Naval AD on the Moskva, would you please point out where Russian SAM/AAM products have failed in Ukraine. Please bear in mind that Ukraine has been using them as well. S-300 and Buk in particular. Thanks.
Because now that western AD systems have been deployed the intercept statistics have improved considerably! Even your much vaunted hyper speed missile can be intercepted👍 Shot down many storm shadows yet or are the orcs still heavy smoking in those target areas?
Well I will believe what I see from independent sources more than what your handlers give you! Time and again you spout facts and figures that always in the end show you are talking bollocks! Funny isn’t it you lie low and then when things start to go against the Orcs lo and behold up you pop. Still on the way to Poland are you?
Righto well your performance about how this war is going has hardly been stellar has it? So I suppose we will just wait and see.
Well, it’s not only our Britain friends that scrapped everything. I am ashamed of being Swede 🤦♂️
Particularly, the south of Sweden don’t represent us in the north.
But okay, we are a few grumpy old geezers here, I guess.
We just supplying minerals, wood, energy and know-how.. And a different mindset.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion and that is why this section of the article exists. Perhaps it would be more adult to be less offensive and insulting if some contributors could be more polite when disagreeing with others. It will make for more informed reading and earn more respect for the opinions expressed.