UK Fighter Jets Intercept Russian Aircraft Over Norwegian Sea
UK fighter jets intercepted a Russian maritime patrol aircraft after it repeatedly approached a carrier strike group operating in the Norwegian Sea, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) reported.
The Russian Bear-F aircraft flew at a low altitude and came "unnecessarily close" to the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier. It is believed that the plane dropped 10 sonobuoys into the water on Thursday, according to the MoD.
The Ministry of Defence described Moscow's activity in the Norwegian Sea as "unsafe and unprofessional."
This incident follows recent events, including Royal Marines boarding a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the English Channel. Additionally, the head of the military has warned that the risks and threats facing the UK are greater now than at any time since the Cold War.
Current Deployment of UK Carrier Strike Group
The UK's Carrier Strike Group is presently deployed off Iceland under NATO command, with 1,500 British personnel on board. The group comprises the HMS Prince of Wales, the Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan, F-35 jets, Merlin and Wildcat helicopters, and receives support from RFA Tidespring, a replenishment tanker.
The sonobuoys believed to have been dropped by the Bear-F aircraft are monitoring devices that float on the water and use sonar technology to detect submarines and other vessels.
Response and Military Statements
British forces attempted to communicate with the Russian plane on international frequencies; however, the aircraft did not respond. Subsequently, two F-35 jets launched from the Prince of Wales to escort the Bear-F away from the Carrier Strike Group.
Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis visited British forces aboard the flagship HMS Prince of Wales over the weekend and stated to News:
"We should be clear-eyed about the fact that the threat from Russia exists in every domain, under the water, on the water, on the land, in the sky, in space and in cyberspace as well."
In June, Chief of the Defence Staff Sir Richard Knighton told the BBC that Russia had been "probing, challenging, testing our defences," and was "raising the stakes and risks crossing a line."
