Bear in the air

[Simpo Two]

1970s here we go again... tally ho... http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/29/uk-brita...

[SHutchinson]

They must have been pretty well observed by a lot of Northern European air traffic monitoring before suddenly appearing above the channel. Unless they'd flown down over the North Sea unobserved.

[TheEnd]

Russian plane in international airspace.

Standard operating procedure. I wonder if there is as much tabaloid coverage in Russia when the UK and US do the same.

[b14]

TheEnd said:

Russian plane in international airspace.

Standard operating procedure. I wonder if there is as much tabaloid coverage in Russia when the UK and US do the same.

Let's fix that:

Russian surveillance plane in a narrow corridor of international airspace, for no discernable legitimate reason other than sabre rattling.

Standard Russian operating procedure. I wonder if there is as much tabaloid [sic] coverage in Russia when the UK and US don't do the same.

[Fittster]

b14 said:

TheEnd said:

Russian plane in international airspace.

Standard operating procedure. I wonder if there is as much tabaloid coverage in Russia when the UK and US do the same.

Let's fix that:

Russian surveillance plane in a narrow corridor of international airspace, for no discernable legitimate reason other than sabre rattling.

Standard Russian operating procedure. I wonder if there is as much tabaloid [sic] coverage in Russia when the UK and US don't do the same.

Really?

http://rt.com/news/177720-us-spy-plane-sweden/

[Dr Jekyll]

TheEnd said:

Russian plane in international airspace.

Standard operating procedure. I wonder if there is as much tabaloid coverage in Russia when the UK and US do the same.

There is very rarely any tabloid coverage when Russian aircraft enter the UK air defence region. What is different in this case is that civilian flights were potentially disrupted.

[anonymous-user]

If it's tabloid coverage I'm surprised it didn't say "Ruskie jet bomber plot foiled by Army Typhoons in daring dogfight over Channel"........and then show a photo of a USMC AV8-b.

[FourWheelDrift]

Crossflow Kid said:

If it's tabloid coverage I'm surprised it didn't say "Ruskie jet bomber plot foiled by Army Typhoons in daring dogfight over Channel"........and then show a photo of a USMC AV8-b.

Have you been watching Russia Today again?

[guru_1071]

they should just scramble the Battle of Britain spitfires to intercept them

and take a photo of it

[superkartracer]

b14 said:

TheEnd said:

Russian plane in international airspace.

Standard operating procedure. I wonder if there is as much tabaloid coverage in Russia when the UK and US do the same.

Let's fix that:

Russian surveillance plane in a narrow corridor of international airspace, for no discernable legitimate reason other than sabre rattling.

Standard Russian operating procedure. I wonder if there is as much tabaloid [sic] coverage in Russia when the UK and US don't do the same.

Lets add a little extra for you -

http://news.sky.com/story/1417501/uk-summons-ambas...

Forcing civilian aircraft to be diverted..

Keeping in mind, these *old* machines can carry enough nuclear cruise missiles to wipe most of the UK out.

[Simpo Two]

It says something of our air defence capability that a fighter from Lossiemouth was scrambled to intercept an aircraft over the English Channel.

[FourWheelDrift]

Simpo Two said:

It says something of our air defence capability that a fighter from Lossiemouth was scrambled to intercept an aircraft over the English Channel.

Coningsby and Lossimouth on an intercept course when they flew too close to UK airspace south of Portsmouth. Then the Bears flew their usual route west around Ireland and around the top of Scotland. Probably why Lossiemouth was scrambled, so they could follow them north?

[mebe]

Says diddly squat unless you can compare the time for a Typhoon on full chat from Lossie to the channel (not long) compared to the warning time the had and the perimeter in force.

[Simpo Two]

The closer it is the sooner it gets there. How long does it take Ivan to press the button?

[skeggysteve]

I just read the BBC report about this.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31049952

How quick could our planes get to the Russian plane from their bases?

Why didn't the Russians file a flight plan, just to wind us up or something else?

[anonymous-user]

What could possibly go wrong if we just go and shoot it down and say "feck em"

[Simpo Two]

skeggysteve said:

Why didn't the Russians file a flight plan, just to wind us up or something else?

Because it's a spy plane? Callsign 'Spy 1'. 'Spy 1 requesting permission to overfly militarily sensitive areas, over'

They do it because they can.

[Wacky Racer]

One of these days these "games" are going to end in tears.....

Anyone know of a good supplier for Anderson shelters?

[aeropilot]

FourWheelDrift said:

Simpo Two said:

It says something of our air defence capability that a fighter from Lossiemouth was scrambled to intercept an aircraft over the English Channel.

Coningsby and Lossimouth on an intercept course when they flew too close to UK airspace south of Portsmouth. Then the Bears flew their usual route west around Ireland and around the top of Scotland. Probably why Lossiemouth was scrambled, so they could follow them north?

Bears had flown down west of Ireland and east up the channel almost as far as Eastborne allegedly, before doing a 180 and returning using the same route in reverse.

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.......

[skeggysteve]

Simpo Two said:

Because it's a spy plane?

So what your saying is that I asked a dumb question?
With hindsight I think you're right!