Six RAF fighters face down Russian bombers trying to enter UK airspace

SIX RAF fighters were scrambled to intercept Russian aircraft yesterday after they tried to enter British airspace, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.

The Russian bombers were tracked heading towards the north-west coast of Scotland, prompting RAF top brass to deploy three pairs of Typhoons from its Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) fleet based at Lossiemouth in Scotland and Coningsby in Lincolnshire.

Flying in formation, two pairs of Typhoons approached the aircraft before withdrawing, while the third pair finished the job of forcing the Tupolev Tu-95 Bears to change course.

The total number of Russian aircraft involved in the incident has not been revealed, but it was considered so serious that French and Norwegian aircraft were also scrambled to join the defence of UK airspace.

The last time QRA aircraft were deployed to deter what was believed to be Russian military aircraft from entering UK airspace was in August 2019. Last night an RAF spokesman said: ‘The Russian aircraft were shadowed by our Typhoons, along with Quick Reaction Alert aircraft from our Nato partners, Norway and France. We are ready to respond to any unidentified aircraft and potential airborne threats, 24/7/365.’

A Voyager air-to-air refuelling tanker was also deployed from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire to support the mission, allowing the Typhoons to extend their emergency flight.

Russia frequently uses its warplanes to intimidate countries and test their reactions to the approaches of its military jets.