Russian jets in UK airspace.

[Laplace]

http://www.hmforces.co.uk/news/articles/5315-two-r...

HMForces.co.uk said:

January 26, 2011

TWO Russian bombers have been caught in British airspace – by fighter jets from a Scots RAF base threatened with closure under Con-Dem cuts.

Campaigners fear for the future of RAF Leuchars in Fife as the Tories and their Lib Dem allies slash spending on defence.

But supporters of Leuchars will say the recent mission by its Tornado crews shows that the base is vital to Britain’s security.

Two Tornado F3 warplanes from the Fife base were able to intercept the Russians within minutes and turn them back off the coast of Newcastle.

It was a classic example of the crews’ expertise in “Quick Reaction Alert” Work.

Russian jets have been increasingly active in our skies over recent months as the Kremlin probes Britain’s air defences.

Lib Dem Scots Secretary Michael Moore visited Leuchars on Monday to meet campaigners who want it kept open. The activists are due to travel to Edinburgh tomorrow for talks with First Minister Alex Salmond.

So why are the Russians probing our air defences and particularly so in recent months?
Do we have any Mi5 employees amongst us who can shed some light or is this possibly just propaganda to raise public support for the proposed closure of these air bases?

[NismoGT]

Next time it will be 500 SU-35's. Would be interesting then

[Sonic]

I wonder what their reaction would be if we "probed" their airspace with a pair of typhoons.

Cheeky bds!

[Martial Arts Man]

Laplace said:

is this possibly just propaganda to raise public support for the proposed closure of these air bases?

Well, it seems an odd thing for the Russians to do, given that it is surely in their interests for us to have a weaker air force.

It's the timing that makes one thinks you might be right.

[Eric Mc]

Ifv I was the RAF, I'd be paying the Russians to inadvertantly "breach" UK air space.

[Bluebarge]

They've been doing this for a long time; they only stopped for a brief while when the Russian air force was so starved of cash it didn't have enough funds to keep these planes airborne. We (Nato) do the same to them.

Russia is not our friend and never will be whilst it remains a corrupt oligarchy, so these flights are not a surprise and we can expect them to continue.

[Mr MXT]

Sonic said:

I wonder what their reaction would be if we "probed" their airspace with a pair of typhoons.

Cheeky bds!

We should probe THEIR MUM'S airspace!

[anonymous-user]

They don't really need to probe our airpace now, they could just sail up the Thames in a Submarine and we wouldn't know they are there.

Good to see the F3's still getting call outs before they are turned into tin cans in a couple of months time.

[Jimbeaux]

Sonic said:

I wonder what their reaction would be if we "probed" their airspace with a pair of typhoons.

Cheeky bds!

As I always have said, it all comes down to who can kick who's ass. Perception, moral high ground, logic, treaties, internation law, etc. matters not in the end, it comes down to physical power. That is base and unfortunate but that is how it is.

[RobDickinson]

You should send up some nimrods as early warning...

[ErnestM]

Are these the same two that paid the Dutchies a visit first and then hit UK airspace? If so, they were Bears and not jets. IIRC, the Russian Air Force has about 50 of them (don't know how many airworthy).

There was a Blackjack intercept near the UK last year IIRC.

[anonymous-user]

TVR Moneypit said:

Excuse my ignorance Ernie, but what's that then?

TU-160, Swing wing bomber, Similar to the American B1.

[NismoGT]

Tupolev TU-160

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tu-160

Much like the B1 Lancer

[navier_stokes]

RobDickinson said:

You should send up some nimrods as early warning...

As a flat pack?

[RobDickinson]

navier_stokes said:

As a flat pack?

I was thinking with a trebuchet, I assume the UK .mil has procured them by now?

[ErnestM]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Russians have about 20 of them left. Again, not sure how many are airworthy.

[grumbledoak]

This isn't uncommon. Both militaries making sure they are still relevant to their own governments.

Good practice for ours. And, in all probability, theirs too.

[magpie215]

Sonic said:

I wonder what their reaction would be if we "probed" their airspace

KAL007

[anonymous-user]

Speaking to someone who was in the Finnish Airforce (Police) a few years back and he said they regularly fly their F-18s towards the Russian Border then turn back before reaching it. The Finns and their eastern neighbour have a bit of a history!!

[sadoksevoli]

RobDickinson said:

I was thinking with a trebuchet, I assume the UK .mil has procured them by now?

Nah the Trebuchet project is still at the prototype stage - they're having problems integrating the new design with the ox-cart that they made by bolting two obsolete chariots together to save money, while the first batch of rocks they were going to use as ammunition proved to be faulty while the next batch need to be repainted with new health and safety logos, they're also having trouble training enough siege engineers in time for the revised in-service date. There are also big delays because the trebuchet arm is made in France, the hinge in Italy and the base in Scotland, so they all have to be moved to a fourth site in Anglesey to be assembled there. And now some retired generals have written a letter to the Telegraph saying why on earth are we paying billions for 4 trebuchets when we could have had 20 mangonels from the Yanks qicker and cheaper with longer range and better sights. Meanwhile in Afghanistan the MOD has secretly got a Russian contractor in with 30-year old ballistae to take out the Taleban with.