Intercepting Wandering Bears & Blackjacks Again (Merged)
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Twice in a week!!!
According to FOX News the Russians have been training again - anyone would think they're trying to make a point.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,290111,00.html
As far south a Aberdeen apparently! I wonder if someone is regretting shutting all those northern radar sites? Anyone got a few million spare to buy some new radars to fill the gaps? I suppose it makes a change for the Fighter Controllers at the final secret bunker - not looking for Hijacked airliners, but real military aircraft.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,290111,00.html
As far south a Aberdeen apparently! I wonder if someone is regretting shutting all those northern radar sites? Anyone got a few million spare to buy some new radars to fill the gaps? I suppose it makes a change for the Fighter Controllers at the final secret bunker - not looking for Hijacked airliners, but real military aircraft.
Join Date: Sep 2003
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This morning the Bodų QRA went ovehead my house (Bardufoss) supersonic with a mighty bang (shook the windows a lot), heading north.
Quick call to work to check speed and alt!
(All within the rules!
)
Quick call to work to check speed and alt!
(All within the rules!
)
Join Date: May 2007
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Poor Bears!
Not sure what all the fuss is about. Russians heard about Indradush II, thought they'd come and play 'Red Air' against the Typhooeys. Must have been reet disappointed to get bounced by some of those F3 things. Aren't they supposed to be out of service and replaced by those new, shiny fangled things! Good job they came nice and low for the Tonkas, maybe someone told them the top of the block was FL250................
Widger,
"they would not have got past this:"
Are you sure? In 1982 I seem to recall that plenty of rather old fashioned Argentinian A4 and Mirage type thingies got past those on a fairly regular basis......................
"they would not have got past this:"
Are you sure? In 1982 I seem to recall that plenty of rather old fashioned Argentinian A4 and Mirage type thingies got past those on a fairly regular basis......................
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Why no Typhoon?
A very valid point in the comments at the bottom of this detailed article in the Daily Mail
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1811
After all the fanfare about them becoming operational in the QRA role why aren't they being used?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1811
After all the fanfare about them becoming operational in the QRA role why aren't they being used?
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At the moment there are only enough operational Typhoons to man the Coningsby based Southern QRA unit on a monthly basis (3 squadrons Typhoons and 25 squadrons Tornado F3s alternate between the role every month), not the Leuchars based Northern QRA which was involved in these intercepts.
Given time the Typhoon will be fielded on the front line in sufficient numbers to completely take over the task (2009?)
Given time the Typhoon will be fielded on the front line in sufficient numbers to completely take over the task (2009?)
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Does the northern QRA switch bases between Leeming and Leuchars (as in, the aircraft can sit on QRA duty at either base), or does it fly only out of Leuchars (but the jets and crews based there can be drawn from either the Leeming or Leuchars squadrons)?
Just seeking clarification
Just seeking clarification
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WolvoWill
Northern QRA(I) normally operates out of Leuchars all the time. However, there are currently lots of holes in and contractors' vehicles all over Leuchars main runway as it is upgraded, so the Northern QRA(I) task has moved south to Leeming for the Summer.
Northern QRA(I) normally operates out of Leuchars all the time. However, there are currently lots of holes in and contractors' vehicles all over Leuchars main runway as it is upgraded, so the Northern QRA(I) task has moved south to Leeming for the Summer.
Interesting that the Mail article mentions the Blackjack as well as the Bear.... and mentions at the bottom "3 seperate incidents"? I suspect a confused journo, but anyone know if any Blackjacks have been spotted recently? Wouldn't have thought so!
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Do not worry Fleet Street has been at it again this time they do not between to differentate between HMS Ocean and an Invincible Class Aircraft carrier. AS per the Telegraph`s report that there is a rummour that the Government might actually be going to place an order for the QE II class CVF`s http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/mai...cnships119.xml
Why do newspapers get imagery and captions wrong probally a number of reasons. My work involves writing for a number of journals nearly all sush work is commissioned as opposed to Newspapers, where their Editors basically do not want to pay for material unless they have to. Stories like the intercept will be written from a desk in the newspapers office, I have had times when I swear stories I have offerred have been re-written by "Staff Reporter" another is the organisations like the BBC they do not want to pay they have a rights grab for on line material check out the small print on their on line submission pages use for free for ever and a day. You would have to live on the esteem of having you picture appear all over the world. B****** I have a mortgage to pay. So it has got to the stage where it is not worth the effort of trying to submitt material to major newspapers or the likes of the BBC
But one of major gripes is the MoD and the Government News Network. It is so difficult to get hold of high res newspictures directly form the MoD. I have been trying for 6 mnths to get a password for the Defence Image Library because the resoloution of images that the post on the web site is so low they are virtually unsable.
Why does the MoD not take a leaf out of the Australian and US Defence Departments and make the high res images available.
Cockpit imagery could be made available as at the time of the Apahce rescue. But again unrestricted access was not available unless using the relativley small files available from the MoD web site/(Although I wounder who did the risk assesments and method statements for flying on the stub wings.) Surley there would have been some imagery available from the intercepts, so why did not the MoD make that available?
But there might be something in that the MoD and PR companies for all the large aerospace manufacturers are trying to stage manage the Media. So I suppose you should not be to hard on the confused journos who would probally ring the Met Office to ask if it was either a Tornado or a Typhoon of the coast of Norway
Why do newspapers get imagery and captions wrong probally a number of reasons. My work involves writing for a number of journals nearly all sush work is commissioned as opposed to Newspapers, where their Editors basically do not want to pay for material unless they have to. Stories like the intercept will be written from a desk in the newspapers office, I have had times when I swear stories I have offerred have been re-written by "Staff Reporter" another is the organisations like the BBC they do not want to pay they have a rights grab for on line material check out the small print on their on line submission pages use for free for ever and a day. You would have to live on the esteem of having you picture appear all over the world. B****** I have a mortgage to pay. So it has got to the stage where it is not worth the effort of trying to submitt material to major newspapers or the likes of the BBC
But one of major gripes is the MoD and the Government News Network. It is so difficult to get hold of high res newspictures directly form the MoD. I have been trying for 6 mnths to get a password for the Defence Image Library because the resoloution of images that the post on the web site is so low they are virtually unsable.
Why does the MoD not take a leaf out of the Australian and US Defence Departments and make the high res images available.
Cockpit imagery could be made available as at the time of the Apahce rescue. But again unrestricted access was not available unless using the relativley small files available from the MoD web site/(Although I wounder who did the risk assesments and method statements for flying on the stub wings.) Surley there would have been some imagery available from the intercepts, so why did not the MoD make that available?
But there might be something in that the MoD and PR companies for all the large aerospace manufacturers are trying to stage manage the Media. So I suppose you should not be to hard on the confused journos who would probally ring the Met Office to ask if it was either a Tornado or a Typhoon of the coast of Norway
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and mentions at the bottom "3 seperate incidents"? I suspect a confused journo, but anyone know if any Blackjacks have been spotted recently? Wouldn't have thought so!
(All according to the Norwegian Joint Operational HQ press officer.)
The Russians claimed that is was a normal training flight. Funny how they invited the international press to see one of the Bear flights as it landed at Engels.
Coordinated pr stunt? Nahh......
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You're not wrong ORAC - you'd expect better from the Torygraph, but it seems even they aren't capable of even the most basic research when trying to come up with some bolleaux in support of a theory. The snag is, the theory may have some basis in truth, but how can you give it any credence when the rest of the article is such tripe?
Tornado F4
Fylingdales
Running across the runway
Arse.
STH
Tornado F4
Fylingdales
Running across the runway
Arse.
STH
M609, cheers that clears it up! Glad to see the journos had it right, confidence restored (even if they did explain all pretty poorly!) Blackjacks eh.... anyone know how many they actually have left flying?
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Back again!
We've all seen the reports over the past few days about the recent russion penetration of the UK Air Defence Region, but an artlicle in The Sun (I know) suggests it may have been much larger than suggested by the initial MOD Press Release.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007390196,00.html
Also, is there any truth in the rumour that a rushed study looking at putting a Type 101 radar up at Saxa Vord has already been completed? See earlier posts reference the lack of radar coverage up north. I wonder how much of the recent incursions were actually tracked - at a guess not much!
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007390196,00.html
Also, is there any truth in the rumour that a rushed study looking at putting a Type 101 radar up at Saxa Vord has already been completed? See earlier posts reference the lack of radar coverage up north. I wonder how much of the recent incursions were actually tracked - at a guess not much!