Bear in the air

[PD9]

As above; what would the scenario be if we took a pop and whacked a Russian bomber out the sky?

No-one else did much when they, the Russians, took down MH17 over Ukraine.

[storminnorman]

I'd love to see a Bear in person (in a peaceful situation). Spectacular looking aircraft

[anonymous-user]

PD9 said:

No-one else did much when they, the Russians, took down MH17 over Ukraine.

"They" didn't though, did they?

[aeropilot]

storminnorman said:

I'd love to see a Bear in person (in a peaceful situation). Spectacular looking aircraft

I guess you're too young to have been at RAF Fairford 20 years ago, when the Russian's flew a Bear over to the UK for the airshow.

They certainly make a strange noise.

[Ginetta G15 Girl]

aeropilot said:

Of course with only 2 fighter stations left in the UK now the Ruskie's are having lots of fun giving us the right all run around.......

Back when I was a Fighter Controller, Southern Q was split between Binbrook (Lightnings) and Wattisham (F4s). Nothern Q was Leuchars (F4s).

So your point is what exactly?

[ecsrobin]

This all started back up again about 8 years ago the Russians flying the Bears on a regular basis around our coasts but staying within international waters. It quite often happens when there are ship movements going on below as well. It's a very regular occurrence the only thing different is that civilian flights were disrupted.

The crews and ground crews are well trained, practiced and have a lot of real world experience and just like we take photos of them they take photos of us although I doubt these days it's useful intelligence gathering as the Internet and big cameras you can do that from the comfort of an office.

[Boozy]

Ginetta G15 Girl said:

Back when I was a Fighter Controller, Southern Q was split between Binbrook (Lightnings) and Wattisham (F4s). Nothern Q was Leuchars (F4s).

So your point is what exactly?

My Dad was a fighter controller many moons ago, he's got some interesting stories mixed with some sad ones.

[V8 Fettler]

We need a couple of aircraft carriers with Phantoms to intercept the Soviets Russians off the North Cape

[markmullen]

Wouldn't it be fun to send the BBMF up to meet them (in addition to the usual Typhoons etc).

[Dr Jekyll]

markmullen said:

Wouldn't it be fun to send the BBMF up to meet them (in addition to the usual Typhoons etc).

No etc any more, just Typhoons for air defence. Even if the BBC reckoned it was Tornados that met the Russians.

[Countdown]

markmullen said:

Wouldn't it be fun to send the BBMF up to meet them (in addition to the usual Typhoons etc).

Fairly sure that the BBMF wouldn't be able to keep up.....

[ecsrobin]

Countdown said:

markmullen said:

Wouldn't it be fun to send the BBMF up to meet them (in addition to the usual Typhoons etc).

Fairly sure that the BBMF wouldn't be able to keep up.....

The top speed of a PRXIX spitfire is 445mph and a TU-95 is 575mph so quite a difference although the bear would be at cruise rather than top speed but not sure what that is. However the spitfire in its heyday could actually go to a higher altitude.

[Hooli]

I didn't realise bears were that quick.

[Squawk1066]

Ginetta G15 Girl said:

aeropilot said:

Of course with only 2 fighter stations left in the UK now the Ruskie's are having lots of fun giving us the right all run around.......

Back when I was a Fighter Controller, Southern Q was split between Binbrook (Lightnings) and Wattisham (F4s). Nothern Q was Leuchars (F4s).

So your point is what exactly?

Aeropilot,

Last year I visited FOUR very active front line bases here in the UK-

RAF Coningsby
RAF Marham
RAF Lakenheath
RAF Lossiemouth

Coningsby and Lossiemouth handle 'Q' roles, with armed jets on full alert at both bases around the clock. RAF Lakenheath do 'Baltic Policing', and the Marham crews have been sticking it to the terrorists overseas. Yeah, we are doomed.

4 is not 2.

[Timmy40]

storminnorman said:

I'd love to see a Bear in person (in a peaceful situation). Spectacular looking aircraft

Yes, about 70 years old now and the loudest prop plane ever made ( as well as fastest ), calling that a spy plane is like calling a bright yellow decatted TVR a stealth car.

[b14]

Timmy40 said:

Yes, about 70 years old now and the loudest prop plane ever made ( as well as fastest ), calling that a spy plane is like calling a bright yellow decatted TVR a stealth car.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_XF-84H

[Yertis]

Squawk1066 said:

Aeropilot,

Last year I visited FOUR very active front line bases here in the UK-

RAF Coningsby
RAF Marham
RAF Lakenheath
RAF Lossiemouth

Coningsby and Lossiemouth handle 'Q' roles, with armed jets on full alert at both bases around the clock. RAF Lakenheath do 'Baltic Policing', and the Marham crews have been sticking it to the terrorists overseas. Yeah, we are doomed.

4 is not 2.

Lakenheath is USAF and Marham is (or was when last I heard) Tornado ground attack aircraft. So when it comes to RAF fighters on what I used to know as QRA, 4 is actually 2.

I don't why some people are jumping down aeropilot's throat. He simply made the observation that our quick reaction bases are reduced (which they are) and the Russians are apparently probing the effectiveness.

Waste of time argument anyway, I'm off.

[johnymac]

Squawk1066 said:

Aeropilot,

Last year I visited FOUR very active front line bases here in the UK-

RAF Coningsby
RAF Marham
RAF Lakenheath
RAF Lossiemouth

Coningsby and Lossiemouth handle 'Q' roles, with armed jets on full alert at both bases around the clock. RAF Lakenheath do 'Baltic Policing', and the Marham crews have been sticking it to the terrorists overseas. Yeah, we are doomed.

4 is not 2.

Surely this isn't all we have is it in the way of interceptor aircraft?
We got ourselves involved in two world wars which we were completely unprepared for because at both times our leaders felt things are "different now".
I heard on Radio 2 yesterday a former admiral saying that the Royal Navy only has 19 destroyers worldwide now and no proper aircraft carrier capable of accommodating fast jets - meaning that they have no strike capability at present.
It does make me wonder how many times we need to be taught a lesson before we learn to maintain a proper defence capability.
Are we relying too much on our membership of NATO and not enough of our own capability?

[Dr Jekyll]

johnymac said:

Squawk1066 said:

Aeropilot,

Last year I visited FOUR very active front line bases here in the UK-

RAF Coningsby
RAF Marham
RAF Lakenheath
RAF Lossiemouth

Coningsby and Lossiemouth handle 'Q' roles, with armed jets on full alert at both bases around the clock. RAF Lakenheath do 'Baltic Policing', and the Marham crews have been sticking it to the terrorists overseas. Yeah, we are doomed.

4 is not 2.

Surely this isn't all we have is it in the way of interceptor aircraft?

Yes it is.

[DeuxCentCinq]

My Grandfather has stories of waving to the tail gunners on these after QR intercepts over the North Sea. I think he was flying Javelins at the time? Might have been Lightnings, but he was an instructor on those mainly.