RAF scrambles fighter jets to intercept Russian 'Bear' bombers as they pass close to Scotland

14 August 2023, 15:51

Russian bombers were intercepted by RAF Typhoons
Russian bombers were intercepted by RAF Typhoons. Picture: Alamy/Press release

By Will Taylor

Russian bombers have been intercepted by the RAF after they flew to the north of Scotland.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Typhoon fighter jets scrambled from their Lossiemouth base to meet the long range maritime patrol "Bear" bombers on Monday morning as they flew in international airspace.

They were flying close to Nato's northern air policing zone and were shadowed by the jets until they left Britain's "area of interest".

Armed forces minister James Heappey said: "RAF crews at Lossiemouth maintain a constant watch over UK airspace and are always ready to take action at a moment's notice to keep our country safe.

Read more: Ukraine hits two key bridges into Crimea as Zelenskyy claims Moscow targeted blood transfusion centre

"Pilots launched in their Typhoon jets to intercept two Russian long-range bombers this morning, monitoring them as they passed north of the Shetland Islands, ready to counter any potential threat to UK territory."

Dutch and Danish F-16 fighters also joined in tracking the bombers. The Dutch said aircraft will be intercepted if they do not provide a flight plan or communicate.

The Typhoon scrambled to intercept the Bear bomber
The Typhoon scrambled to intercept the Bear bomber. Picture: Press release

The intercepts are not uncommon and do not automatically represent an escalation between Russia and the West.

They were frequent even before Vladimir Putin's ill-fated and failing invasion of Ukraine.

But such incidents do nothing to cool tensions between Nato and Moscow.

One of the Typhoon pilots, who was not named, said: "It's really satisfying to know we’ve been able to make a successful intercept, maintaining the integrity of UK and Nato airspace.

Read more: Putin critic Alexei Navalny jailed for a further 19 years on 'extremism' charges

"When the alarm for a scramble happened in the early hours of the morning, the adrenaline kicked in.

"Working in tandem with ground control operators, and with air-to-air refuelling from an RAF Voyager, we were able to stay on task until the mission was complete, and the target aircraft departed the UK's area of interest."

The Ministry of Defence said the aircraft were used for reconnaissance and attacking submarines.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Breaking
Breaking News

Bargain Hunt star Charles Hanson cleared of violent coercive control against wife

Breaking
Breaking News

Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives at the White House for crucial talks with Donald Trump

Breaking
WhatsApp Icon on a Smartphone

WhatsApp goes down for thousands as users unable to send or receive messages

Chithra Vanmeeganathan died in crash involving a No 395 single-decker bus, a car, and other pedestrians.

Pictured: Woman, 46, who died in horror London bus crash

The Gaza documentary has already been pulled from iPlayer

Counter-terror police 'assessing' BBC's controversial Gaza documentary

England's Jos Buttler, who has announced he will step down as England's white-ball captain after Saturday's clash with South Africa

Jos Buttler steps down as captain of England’s white-ball cricket team after Champions Trophy exit

Attackers broke into a man's home on Lipson Road, Plymouth, before covering him in acid in a savage assault.

Man doused in acid after savage attackers break into his Plymouth home - as thugs still at large

Gene Hackman with Betsy Arakawa

Chilling 911 call reveals moment distressed caretaker discovers Gene Hackman and wife's body

A police officer holding a suspect in handcuffs.  Focus on the hand and cuffs

25 arrested as part of global crackdown on AI-generated child sex abuse images

Omar Wilson, 31, repeatedly punched and kicked Mussie Imnetu outside a restaurant in west London last summer.

'Monster' who beat 'defenceless' top chef to death during Notting Hill Carnival jailed for 18 years

Riot police officers take cover from molotov cocktails thrown by demonstrators as clashes break out during a rally as part of a general strike called by unions to mark the second anniversary of the country's worst rail tragedy

Protesters throw petrol bombs and police hit back with tear gas as demonstration in Greece descends into violence

Actor Gene Hackman with wife Betsy Arakawa in June 1993. (AP Photo)

Everything we know so far about the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa

Heston Blumenthal

TV chef Heston Blumenthal says wife sectioning him was 'best thing' to happen - as he opens up about bipolar diagnosis

Lloyds Bank, Halifax, Nationwide and First Direct customers are all suffering issues

Major bank apps including Lloyds, Halifax and Nationwide go down sparking payday chaos

Exclusive
Wes Streeting has said the BBC is in a 'terrible mess' over the Gaza documentary

BBC is in 'a terrible mess', says Streeting - as TV bosses apologise for for 'serious flaws' in Gaza documentary

Chef Claudia Lawrence vanished in 2009 in North Yorkshire

Dogwalker 'saw' rucksack of missing chef Claudia Lawrence in tree stump - in bombshell new claim