RAF Typhoon jets scramble to intercept Russian bombers spotted flying near the Shetland Islands 

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RAF Typhoon jets scramble to intercept Russian bombers spotted flying near the Shetland Islands

  • RAF jets scrambled to intercept Russian bombers above the Shetland Islands 
  • Scrambled British QRA Typhoons with Voyager support from Lossiemouth today
  • A spokesman for the RAF confirmed the incident was ongoing 

By Amie Gordon For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

RAF jets have been scrambled to intercept Russian bombers in airspace above the Shetland Islands this morning.

The RAF confirmed British QRA Typhoons with Voyager support from Lossiemouth will shadow the aircraft.  

Flight tacking data shows an RAF Voyage tanker plane is currently heading north. 

A spokesman for the RAF confirmed the incident was ongoing.

The RAF deployed two pairs of Typhoons from RAF Lossiemouth near Moray and a third pair from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire on Saturday (pictured, Russian Tupolev Tu-142 aircraft intercepted by Typhoon aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Coningsby)

Flight tacking data shows an RAF Voyage tanker plane is currently heading north.

Flight tacking data shows an RAF Voyage tanker plane is currently heading north.

THE RAF’S TYPOON 

The Typhoon FGR4 provides the RAF with a highly capable and extremely agile multi-role combat aircraft, capable of being deployed in the full spectrum of air operations, including air policing, peace support and high intensity conflict.

Engines: 2 Eurojet EJ200 turbojets

Thrust: 20,000lbs each

Max speed: 1.8Mach

Length: 15.96m

Max altitude: 55,000ft

Span: 11.09m

Aircrew: 1

Armament: Paveway IV, AMRAAM, ASRAAM, Mauser 27mm Cannon, Enhanced Paveway II 

This comes after six RAF fighter jets were scrambled to intercept Russian bombers on Saturday after they tried to enter British airspace.

An undisclosed number of Tupolev Tu-95 Bears, Russian aircraft used as strategic bombers and maritime patrol planes, headed towards northwest Scotland.

The RAF deployed two pairs of Typhoons from RAF Lossiemouth near Moray and a third pair from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire to force them to change course.

A Voyager tanker was also deployed from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. 

Last April, Typhoons from RAF Lossiemouth were scrambled twice in five days to prevent Russian military planes entering UK airspace. 

In the same period, jets from RAF Coningsby were also deployed to a separate incident involving Russian aircraft. 

All these incidents come amid heightened tensions between London and Moscow, after Russian GRU agents used chemical weapons in Salisbury in 2018.

An undisclosed number of Tupolev Tu-95 Bears, Russian aircraft used as strategic bombers and maritime patrol planes, headed towards northwest Scotland (pictured, Russian Tupolev Tu-142 aircraft intercepted by Typhoon aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Coningsby)

An undisclosed number of Tupolev Tu-95 Bears, Russian aircraft used as strategic bombers and maritime patrol planes, headed towards northwest Scotland (pictured, Russian Tupolev Tu-142 aircraft intercepted by Typhoon aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Coningsby)