The Independent 13 September 2020 - by Peter Stubley
RAF fighter jets have intercepted two Russian aircraft off the coast of Scotland.
The Eurofighter Typhoons were scrambled into action after the Tupolev Tu-142 planes “entered the UK's controlled zone of international airspace”, the Ministry of Defence said.
An MoD spokesman said that monitoring the zone ensures the safe passage for all other aircraft, including civilian transatlantic airliners that are under UK civilian air traffic control.
The Russian planes were identified as Bear F maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft.
It comes after the RAF confirmed on Friday that its Typhoons had joined large-scale military exercises over the North Sea with the US Air Force and the Royal Netherlands Air Force.
On that occasion the Typhoons played the role of the “enemy” as part of “Exercise Point Blank”, which takes place every three months.
Group Captain Chris Layden, the Station Commander of RAF Lossiemouth, said: "Our Typhoons have played a different role in this iteration of Exercise Point Blank.
"They acted as the Aggressors against the fifth-generation F-35s from the RAF, US Marine Corps, and Royal Netherlands Air Force, simulating the tactics and threats of our adversaries whilst challenging their colleagues in a series of complex air-to-air battles that tested the skills of the pilots involved, and pushed these world-class aircraft to their limits.”
RAF Typhoons are also used to intercept commercial aircraft if a security threat is reported. In July they escorted a Ryanair flight to London Stanstead after a note warning explosives were on board was found in the toilets during the journey from Krakow to Dublin.
Last month the fighter jets were scrambled from RAF Coninsgby to intercept a passenger flight from Vienna to Stansted on Sunday night following reports that suspicious items had been found in the toilets.
The Quick Reaction Alert Typhoons are currently based at former RAF Leuchars. This is now the British Army's Leuchars Station, the home of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.