Why are Typhoons launched on Bear QRAs?

[turmo]

Presumably when a pair of Bears come lumbering in from the Baltic, there is plenty of information from the other NATO forces that have already intercepted & inspected.

So... why not just send-up a Voyager to keep tabs on them? An A330 can easily keep pace and endurance with a Bear.

I'm not really sure why the RAF launches a pair of Typhoons that are then shadowed by the Voyager...

I can understand Typhoons on an emergency squawk interception, or for unidentified targets. But not for a pair of Bears on routine UK sightseeing; if the Bears were intending to start WW3 they'd have launched their AS-15s hours ago and returned to base.

[NAM Updater]

Always pays to be alert! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31530840

[Bushpilot]

An A330 can easily keep pace and endurance with a Bear.

I'm not really sure why the RAF launches a pair of Typhoons that are then shadowed by the Voyager...

Yes, the Voyager can keep pace but catching up with the Bears is another matter, hence the supsersonic dashes we've heard about lately

[POL]

Have we started putting weaponry on our Voyagers now? I wasn't aware of that upgrade.

[Dazza37]

This topic has got to be a wind up, surely? If it isn't, then its probably the stupidest one I've ever read!

-Dazza

[T_J]

Firstly no Russian bombers are coming out of the Baltic. Take a look at a map. Russia can't fly aircraft directly from the Baltic during such peactime missions. They would have to have overflight permission from Sweden/Denmark and that is not going to happen.

It is standard NATO policy for armed fighter aircraft to be employed on QRA duties. That is not going to change.

In peacetime, NATO Air Defence forces adopt a continuous, 24/7, Air Policing posture as a measure to preserve the integrity of Alliance Airspace. This posture uses appropriate Air Defence assets to provide a capability to respond to potential air threats by the identification of unknown airborne objects detected by the Air Surveillance system as well as to take appropriate follow-on measures if required.

In peacetime, designated Air Surveillance and Control System, ASACS units maintain continuous surveillance of NATO airspace and air approaches to NATO:s area of responsibility to gain, assess and disseminate early warning information. They render navigational assistance, if requested, to military and civilian aircraft to include warning of other air traffic, and they assist aircraft with in-flight emergencies, for example the loss of communication, in coordination with appropriate civil Air Traffic Control, ATC. Designated Air Defence units provide fighter aircraft for the Quick Reaction Alert Force, QRA Force. These fighter aircraft can be launched immediately to intercept, interrogate and identify unknown airborne objects detected by the Air Surveillance and Control System.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ ... licing.htm

View from inside a Tu-95MS Bear H during an RAF Typhoon intercept.

http://tvzvezda.ru/news/vstrane_i_mire/ ... 2-tr6s.htm

[TankBuster]

I am very glad that we do send our Typhoons up to keep track on these pesky Ruskies! If we didn't keep tabs on them they would probably enter our airspace and fly where they like!

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Typhoons flexing their muscles and flashing off their armoury to the Bears, it gives the Rusky crews a gentle reminder not to push their luck... a message they can also take back home to Mr P. I don't think a Voyager would have quite the same effect .


TankBuster

[jem60]

Then again, there is nothing wrong with the Russians flexing their muscles and showing their weaponry to the Typhoons.
I'm pretty darned sure that President Putin isn't that stupid that he would give the Bears permission to enter our Soveriegn Airspace. This sort of thing is so old hat to us oldies that it hardly merits mention. Used to happen all day everyday, nothing ever came of it, as will happen this time....over England anyway, elsewhere???..................Hmmmm.

[toom317]

The big wigs at NATO HQ should get together and decide that on the next bear outing, they'll monitor from ground radar, and not send any jets up to intercept. That would get those pesky Russkies wondering.

[jakdaw]

This sort of thing is so old hat to us oldies that it hardly merits mention. Used to happen all day everyday, nothing ever came of it, as will happen this time....over England anyway,

And even if you`re wrong, they`d be no one on left on here to tell you, you were wrong.

[Velvet Glove]

This topic has got to be a wind up, surely? If it isn't, then its probably the stupidest one I've ever read!

-Dazza

Mmmmmmm, .....

[Andy Marden]

An A330 can easily keep pace and endurance with a Bear.

I'm not really sure why the RAF launches a pair of Typhoons that are then shadowed by the Voyager...

Yes, the Voyager can keep pace but catching up with the Bears is another matter, hence the supsersonic dashes we've heard about lately

Yes indeed. Given that the cruising speed of a Voyager is only about 100 knots more than a Bear it might be one of the slowest interceptions in history.....

[Andy_99]

Hypothetical question.

If Vald decided to up the Anti somewhat & sends a number of wave's of planes over to test the North & South QRA's simultaneously what happens ?

I presume a 2nd set of pairs is on a 1Hr readiness & so on until we run out & then a quick call to Uncle Sam or another NATO Partner will take up the slack.

Not that I think that's going to happen as that would be a serious escalation & would imagine the Russian Ambassador would be getting a call to explain himself pronto like.

Also if they're doing this to try & work out how may aircraft we have, couldn't the RAF just switch serials about to confuse them (Sure I read USAF used to do that)

[POL]

I would imagine that we'd get a heads up from our NATO partners to give us plenty of notice that we need to ready a second or indeed third wave of aircraft. We've had north and south QRAs up at the same time previously.

[deerhunter]

Had to laugh, a BBC reporter stated that a pair of Tycoons had been launched.....

was Branson one of them

[Morseman]

Must agree with jem60. We used to have a ground to air missile base at RAf West Raynham, just lock on and see them off. If they had real intentions are our Typhoons going to shoot them down after they have dropped their load. Not much point.

[aj7283]

Hi, I'm new, and quite green so apologies in advance.

I live in Cornwall and on Wednesday 2 f 15s (I think) flew directly over my head, more or less within touching distance ( it seemed that low anyway).

Do NATO have any or is it Uncle Sam keeping an eye on what's going on or were they just on exercise?

Cheers

[paullangford]

If a Voyager can intercept and keep up with 'The Bear', I think I'll give Stelios a ring and see if he wants to charter one of his Airbus's up for a photoshoot....

....I might even stand a chance of getting Photo of the month for that one

EasyQRA anyone ?.......catchy........

[airfixpilot]

Da Ja vouse, What I mean is are we heading for a cold war again, were QRA aircraft were launched every time a Bear came into UK airspace. Remember the Binbrook & the EE Lightnings. According to the times paper (Thursday 19 Feb) the USSR has spent 32 million on defence over the last year.

[jem60]

AJ7283. No need to apologise for being new. We all started somewhere. I'm not especially a military guy, but there are F.15 Squadrons based at Lakenheath in Suffolk, and, whilst they are part of NATO, they belong to the USAF. It is almost certain that they were on exercise, but rest assured that there are people much more qualified than myself who will answer your question more thoroughly. You are, of course, most welcome on here, and I hope you will soon get a better reply. Regards, John.