Blackjack intercept article in The Telegraph
 

Interesting article and quite accurate - but can anyone confirm if AEW aircraft were used?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...wrussia214.xml

Is that a pop song our one of those amazing Russian military anthems put to alternative music?
Please excuse my ignorance.
Thanks for the link
Be lucky
David

"Probably about 52N off the West coast of Ireland."

is this true or are you taking the piss?

cheers.

The Bodø QRA launched again this morning at 05:20 and established CAP north of Andøya AB. Two Russian aircraft inbound, but they broke off and headed to Iceland, and the QRA returned to Bodø without intercepting.

Ask the RAF .... they left them around 55N10W to go back and refuel and then intercepted them about 35 minutes later on the way back. So 52N (about) is my guess as to where they got to before turning back.

Or maybe the RAF were taking the piss and there were no Russians there ... just a couple of unexplained primary contacts which they manufactured for us all.

Alternatively, ask the BA Captain who saw them and the escorts as he was vectored clear.

cheers squire, didn't mean it in a ****ty way, it just seems an awfully long way south.

most grateful though.

No worries, the downside on the internet is that the tone of a post can't be detected easily or might be misinterpreted. No offence taken :ok:

I guess the Irish Air Corps didn't bother to launch against them ;) , though Shannon ATC would probably be able to tell you how far they got South in reality .... or the AWACS crew :cool:

"52N"

Used to be Cuba in the good ol' days :E

Yes, in the old days, – Lightnings holding Northern Q and scarcity of tankers (adherence to the ‘fool’ line), long range Bear Ops were routine. In addition to ‘fleet exercises’ where the presence of any aircraft carrier attracted monitoring attention and occasionally ‘dummy’ attack runs, several Bears would go to Gibraltar to monitor a changeover of the US 6th fleet. Also, there was the 4-yearly 12 ship bear run to the US East coast on 20 Jan (an American will tell you why). You could finish a full mess dinner between these out and back interception sorties.

It might cause a bit consternation in certain US bunkers if if they penetrated the US ADIZ on that day... :}

Sorry, "Naive" here.
I know about December 7th and September 11th, but what is this January 20th?

Any Bears today..............it is a Friday after all.

January 20th
 

I suspect that's 'Inauguration Day'

[You know, they have this quaint idea of an elected king, so they have a coronation thingy every four years] :}

It now appears they DID intercept on the 20th. Nowegian MOD released this image, it appeared in the local newspapers later.

http://multimedia.api.no/www.nordlys...2_1458434m.jpg

Great image. Thanks for posting!

The following show images taken from Russian/Soviet aircraft of Western types during intercepts

Quite unique!
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/att...hmentid=123497

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/att...hmentid=123498

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/att...hmentid=123511

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/att...hmentid=123581

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/att...hmentid=125365

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/att...hmentid=125366

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/att...hmentid=125399

A good link showing Norwegian intercepts. How many Badgers?!

http://starfighter.no/web/life331.html

From

http://starfighter.no/web/arti-fle.html

Christopher Isherwood:

The common cormorant (or shag)
Lays eggs inside a paper bag.
You follow the idea, no doubt?
It's to keep the lightning out.

But what these unobservant birds
Have never thought of, is that herds
Of wandering bears might come with buns
And steal the bags to hold the crumbs.

That's all folks!

I remember reading an intercept report (I have no idea how true it was) printed in a trade magazine about some Bear bombers that were intercepted by a flight of F-4 out of Elmendorf AFB in Alaska.

According to article the WSO in the back seat was taking pictures of the Bear. The crew of the Bear radioed their Command Post and asked what to do about the F-4s taking pictures of them.

The reply was, "Wave."

In the article was a picture of the tail gunner on the Bear waving.

As I posted, don't know if the story is true or not, still funny in any case.

Aww, lovely pics, TEEEJ. I've come over all nostalgic:)

Hansard Answer
 

Below is the text from a House of Lords question regarding RAF/RN assets involed in detecting and intercepting Russian aircraft:

"Lord Trefgarne asked Her Majesty's Government:

What Royal Air Force and Royal Navy assets are available to detect and intercept Russian Bear aircraft which may approach United Kingdom airspace. [HL5273]

The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence & Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (Lord Drayson):

The Royal Air Force is responsible for the detection and identification of aircraft and the dissemination of the recognised air picture within United Kingdom airspace and its approaches, using assets such as RAF control and reporting centres at RAF Boulmer and RAF Scampton and remote air defence radars and communications sites. RAF Sentry aircraft, Royal Navy Type 42 air defence assets and Sea King air surveillance and control Mark 7 helicopters all have the ability to contribute to the recognised air picture when operating around United Kingdom airspace and waters.

Royal Air Force Tornado F3 and Typhoon aircraft maintain continuous quick reaction alert readiness and are normally based at RAF Coningsby and RAF Leuchars."

AP3430 refers - I take it someone helped him with the answer?