F-35B Fighter Jets were scrambled (Image: Getty)
The UK has intercepted a Russian plane over the Norwegian Sea. The interception comes after Britain moved an aircraft carrier to the Arctic Circle to support NATO allies.
The Ministry of Defence said a Russian “Bear F” maritime patrol aircraft had repeatedly approached the carrier strike group in the Norwegian Sea last week, Politico reports. It said this was done in an “unsafe and unprofessional” manoeuvre. The ministry said the Russian aircraft had dropped a large number of sonobuoys near the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier – the first European aircraft carrier conducting NATO air defence operations with F-35 jets.
Russian jets were spotted over the Norwegian Sea. (Image: Getty)
A sonobuoy is a device that acts as an underwater microphone, used to find and track submarines.
The Russian plane were then intercepted and escorted by two F-35 jets on July 2.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “While operating in the Norwegian Sea on Operation FIRECREST, the UK’s Carrier Strike Group was repeatedly approached by a Russian ‘Bear-F’ maritime patrol aircraft.
“The Bear-F passed at low altitude and unnecessarily close to HMS Prince of Wales and dropped a large number of sonobuoys in close proximity to the carrier.
“This activity was unsafe and unprofessional. The Russian aircraft was intercepted and escorted by two UK F-35 jets from HMS Prince of Wales until it left the area.”
The HMS Prince of Wales departed from the Glen Mallan jetty in Loch Long, Argyll and Bute, bound for Nordic waters to provide security across the Atlantic and High North regions last month.
However, according to reports, the vessel had to dock in Norway for repairs, postponing its departure for commemorations marking the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence.
The vessel, weighing 65,000 tonnes and costing £3 billion, is typically based in Portsmouth.
The most recent setback is described as a “minor technical issue” that necessitated docking the carrier in Stavanger, Norway.