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RAF Jets Intercept Russian Bomber
It has emerged that two RAF jets have intercepted a Russian bomber over the north Atlantic. Typhoon interceptors shadowed a Russian Tupolev-95 "Bear" reconnaissance aircraft last Friday. It is the first time the £60m Eurofighter has been scrambled on a genuine alert since it took over defence of Britain's airspace in June.The MoD said in a statement: "RAF Typhoons from Numbers 3(F) and XI Squadrons launched to shadow a Russian Bear-H aircraft over the North Atlantic Ocean on Friday 17 August 2007." The £67 million fighter jets were officially put on active standby last month. A dozen Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft of 3 (Fighter) Squadron are now on round-the-clock active duty at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire. Tornado F3 jets based at RAF Leuchars in Scotland will share the same role over the northern UK airspace for some five to six months yet before they too are replaced. It will be at least another year before the controversial fighter jet is ready for air-to-ground combat operations, which could see squadrons deployed to Afghanistan, RAF chiefs said last month.
Posted by: 2007-08-22 |
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