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Our reader Jay has requested: Why does Russia hold sending bombers round UK waters and are they testing the aptitude and timings of a deployment?
Our navy analyst Sean Bell says…
During the Cold War, the previous Soviet Union used to often ‘take a look at’ NATO defences by sending navy plane on covert missions in the direction of nationwide airspace.
International agreements require that each one plane working in worldwide airspace function an digital identification system – referred to as Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) – and deconflict with different air site visitors by speaking with worldwide air site visitors controllers.
However, the Russian navy plane wouldn’t activate their IFF, and wouldn’t talk, thus leaving NATO no possibility however to launch fighters to intercept the interlopers.
Despite the collapse of the Soviet Union greater than three a long time in the past, Russian plane nonetheless often function navy plane in worldwide airspace with out following established worldwide agreements on communication and identification.
In Cold War instances, the intercepting fighter could be required to report the registration variety of the Russian plane – usually on the underside of the plane.
At evening, this could be tough, so the fighter would usually place itself beneath the Soviet plane after which mild its afterburners to light up the realm.
Today, cameras and sensors allow a way more detailed report of functionality to be captured with out the necessity for nearer inspection.
However, the Russian bombers are additionally testing the UK’s response time: how lengthy it takes for a British fighter – normally a Typhoon – to get airborne and journey the lots of of miles to the purpose of intercept.
Fortunately, the Typhoon is a supersonic fighter and may fly over a mile each three seconds, so it doesn’t take lengthy to conduct an interception.
Russia routinely makes use of older navy bombers to conduct their missions.
These aren’t armed with any type of defensive missiles, and the crew don’t take pleasure in ejection seats, so it isn’t within the Russian curiosity to impress any type of direct confrontation.
The Royal Air Force maintains a 24/7, three hundred and sixty five days a 12 months, fast response functionality to guard UK airspace.
This highly effective deterrent ensures that Russian navy plane stay away from nationwide airspace.
If Russia was silly sufficient to penetrate UK airspace, the scenario would escalate swiftly, with just one inevitable consequence.
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