RAF scrambles to intercept Russian bombers

Endangered · 07-19-2007, 05:59 AM

RAF fighter jets were scrambled to intercept two Russian strategic bombers heading for British airspace yesterday, as the spirit of the Cold War returned to the North Atlantic once again.

The incident, described as rare by the RAF, served as a telling metaphor for the stand-off between London and Moscow over the murder of Alexander Litvinenko.

While the Kremlin hesitated before responding to Britain’s expulsion of four diplomats, the Russian military engaged in some old-fashioned sabre-rattling.

Two Tu95 “Bear” bombers were dispatched from their base on the Kola Peninsula in the Arctic Circle and headed towards British airspace.

Russian military aircraft based near the northern port city of Murmansk fly patrols off the Norwegian coast regularly, but the RAF said that it was highly unusual for them to stray as far south as Scotland.

Two Tornado fighters, part of the RAF’s Quick Reaction Alert, took off from RAF Leeming, in Yorkshire, to confront the Russian aircraft, after they were shadowed by two F16s from the Royal Norwegian Air Force, The Times has learnt.

“The Russians turned back before they reached British airspace,” an RAF spokesman said.

There was no evidence to suggest that the incident was connected with the diplomatic row over the extradition of Andrei Lugovoy, the main suspect in the murder of Litvinenko.

URI

Zhang Fei · 07-19-2007, 12:19 PM

Putin has definitely lost it. If Britain can't get the EU to respond to this provocation, British public opinion about the EU is about to sink to new lows.

tankie · 07-19-2007, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zhang Fei

British public opinion about the EU is about to sink to new lows.

For the majority , i dont think it can get any lower

Zhang Fei · 07-20-2007, 21:54 PM

Oops! They did it again:

Quote:

British and Norwegian fighter jets scrambled over the North Sea after Russian bombers were spotted flying at 'unusual' latitudes overnight, the Norwegian military said today.

The repeated sightings of Russian jets -- the most numerous off Norway's coast since the end of the Cold War according to Norwegian public radio NRK -- came amid an escalating diplomatic crisis between Russia and Britain.

In the third incident of its kind this week, Norwegian jets were again called out early this morning as another two Russian bombers were spotted close to Norwegian airspace, the military said.

Two Russian TU95 Bear bombers were first detected overnight Thursday in international airspace between Stavanger, southeastern Norway, and the Scottish town Aberdeen, Norwegian army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jon Inge Oegland told Agence France-Presse.

'It is a little unusual. It's been a long time since we saw Russian aircraft this far south,' he said.

Norway sent two F-16 fighters 'to identify the aircraft and to mark the Norwegian airspace,' he said, adding that Britain also dispatched aircraft to the scene.

The Russian bombers then turned back.

Hours later, two Russian TU160 Blackjack bombers were observed flying westwards, west of the Barents Sea, early this morning, again prompting the Norwegian military to dispatch F-16s, Oegland said.

'Both times the Russian bombers stayed within international airspace the entire time. They didn't do anything wrong,' Oegland stressed.

'It would be pure speculation to guess why they did what they did.'

Two Russian TU95 Bear bombers were detected in the Norwegian Sea off northwestern Norway on Tuesday. Oslo and London scrambled fighters but the Russian planes turned back on their own, the Norwegian military said.

07-19-2007, 05:59 AM	#1 (permalink)
Endangered is a *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 08-13-05 Location: Bangalore, India Posts: 1,747	RAF scrambles to intercept Russian bombers RAF fighter jets were scrambled to intercept two Russian strategic bombers heading for British airspace yesterday, as the spirit of the Cold War returned to the North Atlantic once again. The incident, described as rare by the RAF, served as a telling metaphor for the stand-off between London and Moscow over the murder of Alexander Litvinenko. While the Kremlin hesitated before responding to Britain’s expulsion of four diplomats, the Russian military engaged in some old-fashioned sabre-rattling. Two Tu95 “Bear” bombers were dispatched from their base on the Kola Peninsula in the Arctic Circle and headed towards British airspace. Russian military aircraft based near the northern port city of Murmansk fly patrols off the Norwegian coast regularly, but the RAF said that it was highly unusual for them to stray as far south as Scotland. Two Tornado fighters, part of the RAF’s Quick Reaction Alert, took off from RAF Leeming, in Yorkshire, to confront the Russian aircraft, after they were shadowed by two F16s from the Royal Norwegian Air Force, The Times has learnt. “The Russians turned back before they reached British airspace,” an RAF spokesman said. There was no evidence to suggest that the incident was connected with the diplomatic row over the extradition of Andrei Lugovoy, the main suspect in the murder of Litvinenko. URI __________________ Wild Wild Web

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07-19-2007, 12:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
Zhang Fei Banished Join Date: 06-04-05 Posts: 230 Country:	Putin has definitely lost it. If Britain can't get the EU to respond to this provocation, British public opinion about the EU is about to sink to new lows.

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