UK fighter jets intercept Russian bombers flying over north of Scotland

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) – Britain on Monday said its fighter jets intercepted two Russian long-range bombers flying over north of Scotland.

The British Typhoon jets were launched from RAF Lossiemouth, one of Britain's Royal Air Force’s two Quick Reaction Alert stations, to intercept two Russian Tu-142 long-range bombers flying over north of Scotland, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

The incident took place Monday morning after the Russian long-range maritime patrol bombers transited north of the Shetland Islands within NATO’s northern air policing area.

“The Russian Tu-142 Bear-F and Tu-142 Bear-J maritime patrol aircraft, used for reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare, were monitored by RAF Typhoons in international airspace as they passed north of the UK,” added the statement.

James Heappey, minister for the Armed Forces, said that RAF crews at Lossiemouth "maintain a constant watch" over UK airspace.

Meanwhile, a Voyager tanker was also scrambled and remained airborne for the duration of the mission to offer air-to-air refueling.

“When the alarm for a scramble happened in the early hours of the morning, the adrenaline kicked in,” noted the lead RAF Typhoon pilot who was not named by the statement.

Later, the Typhoons and the Voyager returned to their base, added the statement.