The Royal Air Force (RAF) launched fighter jets to intercept an unidentified aircraft travelling into an ‘area of interest’ on Friday.
The RAF Typhoons jets, Phantom 11 and Phantom 12, were launched from the base in Lossiemouth in Moray, northeast Scotland, earlier this afternoon.
The Force told the Daily Record it would ‘not be offering additional detail until the mission is complete.’
It has been a busy day for the country’s defence forces, as RAF jets based in Romania were put on ‘Quick Reaction Alert’ – when pilots and other forces are told to be ready to spring to action if needed.
It came after the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) detected Russian aircraft over the southern black sea.
Although the aircraft was in international airspace, it was thought to be heading towards Romanian territory.
So the RAF deployed Typhoon jets from its Romanian base but the Russian aircraft turned away from them.
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An RAF pilot from IX (Bomber) Squadron, Flight Lieutenant Charlie said: ‘When the Russian aircraft entered the Romanian Flight Information Region, we were scrambled to conduct a Combat Air Patrol in the area.
‘As the suspect aircraft turned into Romanian airspace we were then instructed to visually identify the track.
‘As we approached our Combat Air Patrol area, the Russian aircraft turned, headed away from us and left the FIR, at which point we resumed our air patrolling mission and practised some air combat manoeuvres before returning to base.’
The RAF also had to intercept Russian planes in November last year. The Russian planes had entered British airspace over the North Sea.
However, it is not yet clear whether the ‘unidentified aircraft’ is Russian.
It is not clear whether the plane is considered a threat.
More to follow.
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