UK Air Defence - Cold War
I never quite understood what the Soviet air threat was in the southern north sea.
In the north it is obvious - Backfires etc flying down off Norway to launch cruise missiles at Scotland.
But what 'trade' were Binbrook, Coningsby, Wattisham expecting to face?
Obviously partly as a backstop to the above.
But there always seemed to be an expectation of tactical aircraft crossing the southern north sea to attack the UK. As in Priory type exercises
Fencers seemed to be the only aircraft with the range to get to the UK from Poland/ East Germany and they would have had to fly past/through Denmark/West Germany/Netherlands first - and until Flankers came on the scene this would have to be done unescorted.
Seems very unlikely to me
What Soviet aircraft and based where were a practical threat to the Southern UK? Assuming that the west still held Germany.
If the Soviets has come west to the channel then of course that would have been a different story - but then our air defence was set up to look east - not south!
I'm sure someone can put me on the right track?