Two Russian bombers raided this afternoon in the airspace off the coast of France and Spain. The French airforce launched aircraft to monitor the flight path of the Russian planes
But Russia’s recent incursion into the sky Bay of Biscay has aroused the usual deployment from the West European air defences.
The two bombers type Tu-160 Blackjack , from the north, followed a now traditional route, passing off the Faroe Islands, and heading south. Initially, four Russian planes had been spotted by the Norwegians; then two bombers continued their route while the other four were turned back.
The passage of two bombers, the British fighters scrambled from Typhoon bases of Lossiemouth and Coningsby who escorted the Russian planes, according to the MoD (UK Ministry of Defence).
The pair of bombers, who entered into French national airspace, then headed to the Bay of Biscay, causing the take-off of a patrol of two Mirage 2000 Lann-Bihoue, a burst of Saint- Dizier, an E-3F AWACS and a tanker KC-135 (call sign MARCO T28). The French interception occurred around 1pm.
The Spaniards have also scrambled aircraft including F-18 and KC-130 .
The two Russian bombers were then turned back off from the Hebrides at 4pm (French time).
The General Staff of the French Air Force confirmed the operation and communicated to 5pm (see here ).
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The incidents of this type, termed “provocations” Russian by Westerners in full escalation of tension with Moscow have multiplied in recent months .
In October, two bombers were intercepted off the coast of Brittany . Two French fighter jets had also intercepted onj the 17th February 2016 a Tu160 off Touquet (north of France). British Typhoon jets had also previously been in the maneuver.
