Aerospace

Russian bombers intercepted as they skirt western Europe

Russian bomber aircraft were intercepted by UK Royal Air Force (RAF), French Air Force (Armée de l'Air: AdlA), and Spanish Air Force (Ejercito del Aire: EdA) fighters as they skirted the airspace of all three countries on 9 February.

The interceptions, which were confirmed by both the RAF and AdlA, involved a pair of Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) Tupolev Tu-160 'Blackjack' strategic bombers flying down the Norwegian Sea between the UK and Iceland, around the coast of Ireland, and onto the Bay of Biscay, before returning back to Russia via the same route.

RAF Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 fighter supported by Airbus Defence and Space Voyager tankers intercepted and shadowed the bombers as they hugged the UK and Ireland, with AdLA Dassault Mirage 2000-5 and Rafale fighters supported by a Boeing C-135 Stratotanker, and EdA Boeing F/A-18 Hornet fighters doing the same as they approached and then entered the Bay of Biscay.