UK fighter jets intercepted a Russian maritime patrol aircraft after it repeatedly approached a carrier strike group in the Norwegian Sea, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said. The Russian Bear-F plane passed at low altitude and unnecessarily close to the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier and is believed to have dropped 10 sonobuoys into the water on Thursday, the MoD added.
MoD Condemns Russian Activity
The MoD said Moscow’s activity in the Norwegian Sea was unsafe and unprofessional. It comes weeks after Royal Marines boarded a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the English Channel, while the head of the military has warned the risks and threats facing the UK are greater now than at any time since the Cold War.
Carrier Strike Group Deployment
The UK’s Carrier Strike Group is currently deployed off Iceland under Nato command, with 1,500 British personnel on board. The group consists of HMS Prince of Wales, Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan, F-35 jets, Merlin and Wildcat helicopters, and is supported by RFA Tidespring, a replenishment tanker. It is the first time Nato has conducted air policing operations from a European aircraft carrier.
Sonobuoy Drop and Response
The monitoring devices which were believed to have been dropped by the Bear-F plane float on the water and use sonar to detect submarines and other vessels. British forces attempted to contact the Russian plane on international frequencies, but it did not respond. Two F-35 jets then flew from the Prince of Wales to escort the Bear-F away from the Carrier Strike Group.
Defence Secretary Visits
Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis visited British forces on board the flagship HMS Prince of Wales over the weekend.
