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UK Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon fighters have been scrambled to intercept four groups of Russian aircraft.
Two Typhoons from 3 (Fighter) Squadron were launched on 17 June following detection of the aircraft by Nato air defences in international airspace near to the Baltic States.
The aircraft were subsequently identified as a Russian Tupolev Tu22 Backfire bomber, four Sukhoi Su27 Flanker fighters, one Beriev A50 Mainstay early-warning aircraft, and an Antonov An26 Curl transport aircraft.
The Typhoon pilots involved in the operation were Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Mark Long of 29 (Reserve) Squadron (the Typhoon operational training unit) and a French Air Force exchange pilot Commandant Marc-antoine Gerrard who is currently attached to 1(Fighter) Squadron.
Flt Lt Long said: “The Typhoon is a superb aircraft that makes intercepting other aircraft exceptionally easy, today’s interception of the Russian Flankers is all in days work for an RAF fighter pilot.”
Typhoon Detachment Commander Wing Commander Ian Townsend said:
“we regularly intercept Russian and civilian aircraft from UK Quick Reaction Alert and so this type of mission is core business for us and exactly what we were sent to the Baltic region by NATO to do. It was a thoroughly successful operation with both my groundcrew and aircrew performing to the exacting professional high standards I have come to expect.”
Agencies/Canadajournal
