Russian AF Bombers Violate UK Airspace Again
In an action repeating those of recent months, Royal Air Force combat jets have again been scrambled to ward off the presence of Russian Air Force bombers from UK airspace. This time, however, no less than eight Tupolev Tu-95 Bears were involved. Previous encounters have usually involved the giant Russian-built bombers travelling in pairs.
The encounter was today reported by the Ministry of Defence, which described how four Tornado F-3 multi role combat aircraft were dispatched to shepherd the long range bombers away from the UK. Prior this, Royal Norwegian Air Force F-16s had carried out a similar defensive role to the Tornadoes, in response to the Bears having infiltrated Norwegian airspace.
Russia's policy of flying outside its usual parameters lay dormant for many years after the former Soviet Union was deconstructed in 1992, becoming the Commonwealth of Independent States. Previously, RAF Quick Reaction Alerts had been common practice throughout the Cold War period.
Recently, however, Russia has begun to re-investigate the airspace around it, prompting some analysts to link the missions to its increasingly active foreign military policy.
In conversation with the BBC, Lt. Col John Inge Oegland - an officer serving with the Royal Norwegian Air Force - described his encounter. He said that the brace of Bears reached the Atlantic after flying from the Barents Sea. Two F-16s were initially deployed to the scene, followed later by a second pair. Today's action, added Mr Oegland, came after similar encounters in the past few months. In response, he affirmed: "Norway is following the increased Russian activity in the far north with interest".
Probed on whether Norway was concerned by said Russian activity, and if it would strengthen its military security, the Lieutenant Colonel stated that "our systems are adequate".
The four British Tornadoes were scrambled from RAF Coningsby, located in Lincolnshire, in what has been reported as a costly exercise. Given the Tornado's operating cost of over 40,000 pounds an hour, the dispatch of four would have amounted to a minimum of 161,000 pounds
On the 5th September 2007, a spokesman from the Russian Air Force confirmed that long range missions undertaken by its Bear force would become more frequent. He added that these had the Kremlin's full approval. He, Colonel Alexander Drobyshevsky, has also now commented on the most recent exercise, highlighting how the airborne octet had "performed in accordance with international rules". He added: "The aircraft fly over neutral waters and do not get close to air borders of foreign states".
Although these airspace infringements have succeeded in putting Russia's relationship with the western world under strain, within the US government, the sentiment seems to be one of indifference. "If Russia feels as though they want to take some of these old aircraft out of mothballs and get them flying again, that's their decision", one spokesman said.
Source - Armed Forces International's Aviation Expert
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