Two UK F-35 Lightning jets from HMS Prince of Wales intercepted a Russian Tupolev Tu-142 maritime patrol aircraft, NATO reporting name 'Bear-F', after it repeatedly approached the UK Carrier Strike Group in the Norwegian Sea. The Ministry of Defence described the Russian aircraft's actions as 'unsafe and unprofessional'.
Incident Details
The Bear-F passed at low altitude and unnecessarily close to HMS Prince of Wales, dropping a large number of sonobuoys in close proximity to the carrier. Sonobuoys are monitoring devices that float on the water and use sonar to detect submarines and other vessels. The British forces attempted to contact the Russian plane on international frequencies, but it did not respond.
The Russian aircraft was then intercepted and escorted by two UK F-35 jets from HMS Prince of Wales until it left the area. The UK's Carrier Strike Group is currently deployed off Iceland under NATO command, with 1,500 British personnel on board.
Carrier Strike Group Composition
The group includes HMS Prince of Wales, Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan, F-35 jets, Merlin and Wildcat helicopters, and is supported by RFA Tidespring. Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis visited UK forces on board the flagship HMS Prince of Wales over the weekend.
Official Reactions
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson stated: 'While operating in the Norwegian Sea on Operation Firecrest, the UK's Carrier Strike Group was repeatedly approached by a Russian 'Bear-F' maritime patrol aircraft. The Bear-F passed at low altitude and unnecessarily close to HMS Prince of Wales and dropped a large number of sonobuoys in close proximity to the carrier. This activity was unsafe and unprofessional.'
Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis told Channel 4 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.' He added that 'some of what the Americans have said in recent times is absolutely right' and 'Europe does need to step up'.
