Royal Air Force fighter jets support NATO allies across Europe in Busy Week of Air Operations.

Royal Air Force Typhoons from XI(F) Squadron, RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, met up with the United States Air Force B52 aircraft of the 5th Bomber Wing, north of Scotland, over the North Sea on 15th June 2020.

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Squadron RAF Typhoon (Picture source: MoD Crown Copyright 2020)

During the early morning of 15 June, Typhoons from RAF Coningsby met up with two USAF B-52 bombers off the North of Scotland as they arrived from their base in the USA to conduct a long-range strategic training mission in the annual NATO BALTOPs exercise in the Baltic region.

The mission was to conduct a long-range strategic sortie to the Baltic Region and meet up with further NATO aircraft involved with the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission, including RAF Typhoon aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth in Morayshire that have been deployed to the region since April 2020.

Missions included escorting US strategic bombers and scrambling twice to monitor Russian planes operating around the Baltic Nations airspace.

The Typhoons from XI(F) Sqn were supported by a Voyager tanker from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, with coordination being provided by Sentry and Sentinel aircraft from RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire.

Squadron RAF Typhoon (Picture source: MoD Crown Copyright 2020)

About the TYPHOON FGR4:

The Typhoon FGR.Mk 4 is a highly capable and extremely agile fourth-generation multi-role combat aircraft, that can be deployed for the full spectrum of air operations, including air policing, peace support and high-intensity conflict. Initially deployed in the air-to-air role as the Typhoon F.Mk 2, the aircraft now has a potent, precision multi-role capability as the FGR4. The pilot performs many essential functions through the aircraft’s hands-on throttle and stick (HOTAS) interface which, combined with an advanced cockpit and the Helmet Equipment Assembly (HEA), makes the Typhoon superbly equipped for all aspects of air operations.

Although Typhoon has flown precision attack missions in all its combat deployments to date, its most essential role remains the provision of quick reaction alert (QRA) for UK and Falkland Islands airspace. Detachments also continue to join NATO Air Policing missions in the Baltic, Iceland and Black Sea regions.

Squadron RAF Typhoon takes it in turns to refuel from a RAF Voyager over the North Sea. (Picture source: MoD Crown Copyright 2020)