RAF spy planes patrol Russian border in response to Putin’s ‘hybrid war’
Two SHELF Surveillance aircraft were deployed for a 12-hour mission to patrol NATO’s eastern border.
The aircraft flew approximately 10,000 miles, starting in the High North, the northernmost part of the Arctic, passing through Belarus and Ukraine and continuing along the Russian border.
The RAF said the operation involved an RC-135 Rivet Joint electronic intelligence surveillance aircraft and a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. This was a response to recent attacks on NATO airspace. Russian drones and warplanes.
They were supported by a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker from the 100th Air Refueling Wing, allowing them to go further than they could on a single fuel load.
Both RAF aircraft were built specifically for intelligence gathering. The Rivet Link is designed to intercept and eavesdrop on military communications, while the Poseidon is equipped for anti-submarine warfare.
John HealeyThe Minister of Defense said: “This was an important joint mission with the United States and our NATO allies. It not only provides valuable intelligence that will increase the operational awareness of our Armed Forces, but also sends a strong message to Putin and our adversaries about the unity of NATO.”
RAF Gp Captain Matthew D’Aubyn said: “Missions like this show that NATO is prepared to defend its contingent and its members against any attack.”
A number of Russian drones traveled last month Ukrainian They entered Poland, prompting NATO to scramble jets to shoot them down.
On September 14, a Russian Geran drone entered Romanian airspace near Ukraine’s southern border, while on September 19, three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets violated Estonian airspace before circling for 12 minutes.
a fearshadow warAttacks designed to provoke NATO increased in intensity after at least 18 unidentified drones were detected disrupting operations at airports in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Germany in September and October.
Credit: NATO
Russia continued to deny its involvement in incidents at Scandinavian airports. Vladimir Putin He told a foreign policy forum in Sochi last week that he would “no longer send drones to either France, Denmark or Copenhagen.”
The attacks sparked fierce debate about how NATO should counter attacks on its airspace. Donald Trump Last month, he suggested that the alliance could open fire on Russian planes that violate allied territory.
On September 12, NATO launched Operation Eastern Sentry to protect territory on its eastern flank. Two RAF fighter jets carrying call signs “Kaos 1-1” and “Chaos 1-2” were deployed for the first police mission over Poland as part of the operation on 21 September.
The latest RAF mission involving two spy planes comes as Denmark announced on Friday $4.2bn (£3.2bn) of additional defense spending in the Arctic and North Atlantic regions, as well as a $4.5bn (£3.4bn) budget to buy 16 more F-35 fighter jets from the US.
Danish foreign minister Troels Lund Poulsen said the investment would “significantly strengthen the capabilities of the Danish Armed Forces” in the region where North America, Russia and North America intersect. Europe.
In September, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said British pilots “Confronting” Russian fighters He stated that NATO airspace had been entered without permission, adding that they were “ready to take all necessary steps” to protect the alliance.
However, NATO member countries are divided on what stance they should take against Russia’s provocations; Some allies advocate a conservative approach, while others call for an aggressive stance to deter future Kremlin-led attacks.
The Financial Times reported on Thursday that allies are considering plans to deploy armed drones along the Russian border and allow pilots to open fire on Russian planes in a bid to make future provocations more costly for Moscow.
President Putin dismissed suggestions that he intended to start a war with NATO as “hysteria” but vowed to retaliate in kind for the “increasing militarization” of Europe.
Some European officials attributed the breaches to a “hybrid war” Moscow is waging in Europe through cyberattacks, disinformation and sabotage, amid suggestions that the EU could respond by blocking Russian diplomats’ travel within the bloc.
