RAF’s Top Guns were scrambled 8 times to confront Putin’s jets
INTERCEPTED One of the Tupolev jets is escorted away in January RAF fighter jets have roared into the sky eight times in the past two years to intercept Russian bombers.
Top Guns in Typhoon aircraft were scrambled from UK air bases five times in 2016 and three times in 2017 to challenge Kremlin warplanes heading towards British air space, official figures show.
And in January, two Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack bombers were intercepted and escorted by Typhoons 30 miles from UK airspace.
Lord Ming Campbell, the Lib Dem defence spokesman, said: “The frequency of these events shows that Russia is determined to test Britain’s air defences. It’s a matter of public interest when RAF aircraft have to be scrambled to shepherd Russian aircraft away from UK airspace.
“Such events carry with them the risk of accident or misjudgment which could easily turn into something much more serious.”
The Government refused to reveal how on many occasions Russian warplanes were detected flying towards British skies, citing national security.
Defence Minister Earl Howe said: “The RAF’s Air Surveillance and Control System at RAF Boulmer is fully integrated with NATO allies and the NATO Combined Air Operations Centre at Uedem in Germany, which manages NATO’s response.
“This allows NATO to react in good time to aircraft approaching the airspace of both the UK and our NATO allies.
“Quick Reaction Alert aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Coningsby launched to intercept Russian military aircraft approaching UK airspace on five days in 2016 and three days in 2017.”
Theresa May agreed to her Voyager aircraft playing the role of a Russian plane in a high-velocity show of force by RAF jets last December.
In a move which could have been seen as provocative by the Kremlin, Mrs May witnessed first hand how the RAF stalks potential enemies in daring close-quarters flying. THREAT Putin in bomber