The UK Defence Journal understands that Typhoon jets will be deploying to the Arctic later this month for what is intended to be a secret escort mission.

We can also confirm that the RAF also plan to deploy Voyager tankers in order to refuel the inbound cargo aircraft.

Voyager, the RAF designation for the Airbus A330 MRTT, began air-to-air refuelling flights and made its first operational tanker flight in May 2013. The UK operates a total of 14 Voyager aircraft, 5 of which are leased for commercial purposes when not required. In addition to fuel, the Voyager aircraft is also expected to transfer over some biscuits and a large quantity of Brandy on behalf of the British people.

This comes after news that the Royal Air Force was on high alert in order to intercept and track flights from the Arctic region.

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) 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.

An MoD spokesman 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.

More on this as it develops.

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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65 COMMENTS

  3. Every year this joke gets dusted off and rolled out. I guess it’s now part of my christmas tradition to fully read the article. Thanks UKDJ. Got to look on the bright side. At least we didn’t end up with Corbyn and at least BoJO can tell the Scottish Nationalists to bog off. Once in a generation means just that, you cant revisit a referendum result just because you wanted a different outcome.
    This is why Cameron the slithering retreating, hand your notice in idiot is to blame for so much of the current state of the UK. Someone please arrest him for crimes against the country and people.

    • Oh and happy christmas all. Especially those north of the border who I dearly respect and never want to see going off on wee little jimmy crankie’s crazy self-destruct mission.

      • I hope Scotland stays as well. I think we would all be the poorer if the Union breaks apart.

        I would say this though, stay or go I feel pride that we have a democratic tradition that allows Scotland and any other part of the UK to campaign for seperation, let alone hold a referendum. The US fought a civil war over secession, Spain has fought a counter terrorist war against the Basques and imprisoned Catalonian politicians for campaigning for independence. Secession is actually legal under the Spanish constitution!

        I think that we should be proud of our democratic traditions in the UK and I hope that if Scotland does leave the Union we part on good terms that we can avoid a traumatic ‘divorce’.

        I for one will be deeply saddened if Scotland leaves the Union. Scotland, you are valued at least in this little corner of England.

        • “Spain has waged an anti-terrorism war against the Basques and imprisoned Catalan politicians for campaigning for independence. Secession is really legal under the Spanish constitution”

          Spain fought and won the war against terrorism of ETA, not against the Basques. Do you know how many hundreds of thousands of Basques fled the Basque Country and went to the rest of Spain, expelled by the terrorism and fascism of ETA and the policies of the Basque autonomous government? What daring is ignorance.

          Spain has not imprisoned any Spanish politician for his ideas. The law, the rule of law, has put those who have carried out a coup d’etat, where they have to be, according to the laws. What supreme ignorance!

          Do you say that the Spanish Constitution allows secession? COMPLETELY FALSE. What ignorance.

          Article 2. (Spanish Constitution).
          The Constitution is based on the indissoluble unity of the Spanish Nation, the common and indivisible homeland of all Spaniards, and recognizes and guarantees the right to autonomy of the nationalities and regions that integrate it and the solidarity between them all.

          Merry Christmas, in your own virtual world.

          • Apologies Thomas I meant to say “illegal” no offence meant to Spain. And I am not ignorant – was a typo.

          • Apologies for my part, I didn’t want to call you ignorant, but my temper.
            Above the clarifications I wrote, they are not personal opinions, but facts.
            The case is that we live in a world where lies are so often mixed with half-truths; and as reality goes so fast, many people does not find the time/will to guess or believe the truth instead all the lies a million times spilled, for the purpose of harming, against a nation and their people. And I find that very dishonest…

          • Thomas,

            I have made similar mistakes myself and regretted it. It happens.

            I made a mistake and upset you, you made that very clear 🙂 and I apologised. You have very kindly accepted that apology. We are human, but we have also just done the right thing I thing.

            Perhaps if some of the politicians in this world did the same it would be a safer happier world.

            Take Care

            CR

        • I would not give the Scots another referendum, with less than half the vote.

          You cannot keep having referendums until you get the result you want.

          If there is one, it should involve the whole UK. It is MY COUNTRY you’re breaking up.

          Lets wait a decade or so at least, and let them see that the sky has not fallen on our heads by leaving, and that the world is out there, not within the protectionist EU.

          • You are aware of just how many seats the SNP won aren’t you? – 48 seats after securing 45% of the vote – 8.1% more than in the last general election in 2017, when it won 35 seats. And you are aware that in denying the people of Scotland a referendum whenever we want one will only harden opinions. Try reading up a little Irish history and of how the arrogant English lost their colony there. Independence is coming for Scotland, now more surely than ever and there is damned all you can do about it.

          • Yes, 48 seats with 45%. Slightly lower than the 55 seats with 50% of the vote you won shortly after losing the last referendum. There are reasons we don’t have referenda at the drop of a hat – they’re expensive in both time and money, divisive, and for many, tedious.

          • 45% of the vote share is not a majority or gives the SNP any rights to push for a 2nd independence referendum. If they had achieved more than 50% vote share I would have been more convinced that a 2nd devisive referendum was what the people north of the border actually wanted.
            SNP should try delivering effective public services and running their maximum devolved region instead of constantly banging on about independence.

          • Daniele, totally agree.
            The conservatives won a UK parliamentary majority on a manifesto of no second referendum. The SNP agreed to the first referendum, when led by the dubious character of Alex Salmond, now undergoing criminal prosecution, in the understanding of the first referendum being a once in a generation event.
            The SNP only have a minority of support, eg 45% of the vote in Scotland. That does not give them any mandate at all.
            No 2nd referendum. The SNP are desperate to push for one now as they know once Brexit sorted in 2-3 years time, the outcome will not of been so bad and their arguments for leaving will of dissipated. Typical one policy party. Instead of pushing for independence they should be concentrating on delivering public services in a Maximum devolved scotland. If they were not failing north of the border they might of achieved more than 45% of the vote. Scots need to wake up to little Jimmy Cranky, she is useless and a liar and has zero plan on what to do or how Scotland would fair outside of the United Kingdom.

      • Despite a previous saucy run down on Scots history I posted earlier this year, I wish all Scots past and present all the best.

    • Cameron is twice the man BoJo will ever be with his record of wife battery, multiple extra marital affairs, absent parenting and dalliance with skirt half his age. The man is a disgrace, don’t get taken in by him – oh and by the way, all of this whilst in public office and even on the tax payers pound.

      • Corbyn or Boris Johnson? No contest. Because that was the reality.

        Swinson? Her arrogant attitude that they would revoke A50 went down like a bag of sick on doorsteps, as did Corbyn.

        Johnson has his faults, who doesn’t. I would think much of the Commons and Lords have done similar.

        I would rather have a PM that has had affairs than one who meets convicted IRA bombers days after the Brighton bombing thank you.

        • Hardly the comparison I was making but the comparison you felt obliged to make for some reason?

          Oh, and did I mention the forced terminations?

          • Of course. Mine and millions of others compared the two and voted for the lesser evil in our opinion of the two, for my nation, armed forces, and economy.

            Obliged? Nope, just talking openly and stating an opinion on a public forum, as you were above.

          • I’m afraid it is the Trump factor Julian and the state of the modern electorate. There is more than whiff of amorality about this lot! Strange that some can condemn a man for trying to bring peace to a community yet praise a liar and philanderer. Too much of the ‘Daily Heil’ (thanks for that on sole) one suspects….the 4th estate stinks at times.

          • That post just confirms why the left lost, and we do appreciate your wanna be middle class patronizing attitude, as it got hundreds of thousands of those “this lot” to chin off your man. Thanks.

    • You are aware of just how many seats the SNP won aren’t you Mr Bell? – 48 seats after securing 45% of the vote – 8.1% more than in the last general election in 2017, when it won 35 seats. And you are aware that in denying the people of Scotland a referendum whenever we want one will only harden opinions. Try reading up a little Irish history and of how the arrogant English lost their colony there. Independence is coming for Scotland Mr Bell, now more surely than ever and there is damned all you can do about it.

      • Mike see my post above. 45% vote share is not a majority or enough to push for a 2nd devisive independence referendum. The UK as a whole is referendum fatigued.
        Majority in parliament is conservative. They were elected on a manifesto saying no to a 2nd referendum. Therefore no referendum.
        SNP should try to deliver what they have already got, a maximum devolved region with it’s own parliament and tax raising powers, therefore if Scotlands public services and infrastructure are failing, as they definitely are, the answers rest at Holyrod not Westminster. Maybe if SNP were better at their day jobs more than 45% of people would vote for them.

        • So in yours and Daniele’s crazy logic, Boris Johnson, with only 43% of the vote, does not have any mandate to follow through on his manifesto promises?

          • 45% of vote share for the whole of the UK at 13.9 million vs 1.2 million for SNP. Who has the higher democratic authority? Answer is simple Boris Johnson

        • Referenda fatigue? We have only had one…and that was a corrupt and outrageous abuse of the democratic system as practised in this country!
          And, what pray is ‘Holyrod’? Is it Jesus’ willy…he’ll be very angry with you!

          • Oh do give it a rest, crying about the result and blaming everything aside from the those responsible. Nothing shows a mans true colours than failure!

      • Mike SNZP achieved 1.2 million votes, conservatives 13.9 million. Says it all really. No to your referendum, unless it is going to whole of the UK, eg would we like Scotland to remain part of the UK. Answer yes.

  4. I was going to say this is a bit early but since the ‘Xmas’ channels began broadcasting at the end of September this could be called a bit late…..

  5. I’m surprised this mission wasn’t run from Iceland during the recent Icelandic policing role. The stay easily could have been extended, seems unnecessary.

    • Even more secret sources tell me that in an unprecedented act of seasonal cooperation the RAF contingent will hand over escort duties to the Russian airforce for the first few days of the New Year. The operation is codenamed “Goodwill to all men”.

  6. The story’s a bit tired but the message isn’t.
    Merry Christmas everybody and thanks to George and all the other contributors for their great work and who knows, maybe Santa will bring Andy Reeves a new caps lock button ???

  7. A very merry Christmas to team UKDJ and everyone who contributes to this site.
    I still think we should invest in a few Gripen E to take on this low intensity type of role! ??

  8. I don’t want to worry anybody but my local shop has Cadbury’s cream eggs on the shelf so happy …oh yes… Christmas. Very best wishes to you all.
    New Years resolution…no more referendums ANYWHERE.

  11. Surely it should be all 8 RAF C-17s to bring the prezzies to my house. Mind you, if Santa has been watching me, it won’t even be a tangerine & a lump of coal.

  12. I’d heard that the elf’s had recently invested heavily in radar absorbing stealth coatings. I doubt we will be able to track him on the night and the Typhoons will stay on the ground. There were also rumours flying around that the Russians had passed on scramjet technology to them, so we might see Santa going hypersonic, think of the boom as he passes over!

    • Didnt they do that story last year? I thought there was more than one christmas story involving Santa. QE deployed to protect the artic routes, air refuelling urgent mission etc etc

  16. Jazus, I pop across out of boredom to see what the comments are and yet again I find us Jocks are ‘box office’.

    I think George & Co are going to have to rebrand the site UKDJ Independence traders……

    Luvly jubbly…..

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