PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - RAF QRA aircraft scramble to intercept Russians 15 January 2018
Old 15th Jan 2018, 18:02
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ORAC
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Unless things have changed drastically over the years. In the 70/80s we did 300/400 hundred intercepts a year, and if the they wanted to test us they would launch a stream of 30-40 over many hours to both the North Sea, West Coast and GIUK gap and we would get up with up to Q20 launched from LU, CY and WT and multiple tankers landing, refuelling and launching to support from both LU and LM.

P+120: TU-160 crosses 15E heading SW, P-Time for UKADR just over 2 hours, QRA alerted in time to have prep and have dinner. Tanker ordered to RS60.

P+60: P-60 QRA launches to meet at edge of UKADR. Tanker ordered off.

P time: QRA intercepts at UKADR edge and escorts south. Tanker airborne.

P+40: Q2 launches to join tanker on intercept course to join intercept.

P+60: Q2 takes over shadow whilst Q1 tanks. Then each TU-160 gets an individual escort.

Meanwhile Danish/USAF/GAF etc QRA also join in and everyone takes lots of photos of each other and details of where to send them......
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