Russian TU-142 over Scotland

[Jamie_787]

Well,

Read the newspaper the other day, seems like last week a Russian TU-142 was flying at 40,000ft over the north of Scotland, and was intercepted by two RAF Tornado's, weird or what ? The TU-142 codenamed "Bear Foxtrot" was flying over the Hebrides of Scotland and for what ? It was like looking at a picture from the Cold war! Seemingly the Russian aircraft popped up on radar, and two jets were scrambled to intercept, there was no response from the Russian pilots, and the Tornado pilots job was to let the pilots of the TU-142 know that they are being watched, some time later it about turned and headed back home. Anyone with info on this can post here, been trying to work this one out.

Thanks in advance,

Jamie M

[Ren Frew]

This was an almost everyday occurence when I were a lad. Pretty sure I saw one myself over the Scottish western coast around 1982. Back in them days a pair of Phantoms would be deployed to discourage the visitors and they'd normally scarper swift style. I guess our tonkas don't scare them as much ?

I don't remember the NATO codename 'Foxtrot' being used before ? 'Bear' yes but not 'Bear Foxtrot' ??? T'would seem in this case they fancied a wee look at the joint marine exercise Neptune Warrior, well wouldn't you ?

A stunning looking aircraft though, I wish I could go out on one of those recce missions...

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1109516/L/

[Jamie_787]

This was an almost everyday occurence when I were a lad. Pretty sure I saw one myself over the Scottish western coast around 1982. Back in them days a pair of Phantoms would be deployed to discourage the visitors and they'd normally scarper swift style. I guess our tonkas don't scare them as much ?

I don't remember the NATO codename 'Foxtrot' being used before ? 'Bear' yes but not 'Bear Foxtrot' ??? T'would seem in this case they fancied a wee look at the joint marine exercise Neptune Warrior, well wouldn't you ?

A stunning looking aircraft though, I wish I could go out on one of those recce missions...

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1109516/L/

Ren,

Yes you are right about the codename, got mixed up and looked back at the paper! Yes using Foxtrot, but Bear is in there, I know this is the name of the aircraft itself but not so sure. Must have been about Neptune Warrior, can't think of anything else , also you are right, not so scared of the Tornados, but wait until the Eurofighters arrive Thanks for the info on the rest there, must have some guts coming and knowing you may be threatened to be shot down

Thanks

Jamie M

[Ren Frew]

Ren,

Yes you are right about the codename, got mixed up and looked back at the paper! Yes using Foxtrot, but Bear is in there, I know this is the name of the aircraft itself but not so sure. Must have been about Neptune Warrior, can't think of anything else , also you are right, not so scared of the Tornados, but wait until the Eurofighters arrive Thanks for the info on the rest there, must have some guts coming and knowing you may be threatened to be shot down

Thanks

Jamie M

I think it became an almost accepted practice, they would basically try and test our response times and I don't think they ever actually entered UK airspace, just got very close.

In the case of Neptune Warrior they were flying in international airspace and had every right to be there. We've done it to them as well, I can also recall a Norwegian airforce Lockheed Orion being intercepted by a Soviet fighter which got a bit too close for a look. He basically lost most of one rudder in their props and forced the Orion to make an emergency landing.

[zoot horn rollo]

The BBC reports that there were two of them, Bear-Fs

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/...ds/6641999.stm

Interesting badge on the nose, pity the tail is cut off on the photo though. It also appears to have a name which makes me wonder if it is from Engels AFB, east of Moscow.

[Jamie_787]

Thanks for the link and info Zoot, still very interesting, and a great looking Russian aircraft. I can remember the very incident Ren.

Thanks

Jamie M

[TEEJ]

The BBC reports that there were two of them, Bear-Fs

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/...ds/6641999.stm

Interesting badge on the nose, pity the tail is cut off on the photo though. It also appears to have a name which makes me wonder if it is from Engels AFB, east of Moscow.

Not from Engels. The Bear-Fs are Navy and would be part of the Northern Fleet. Probably flew out of Kipelovo. There is no coverage of the base on Google Earth.

[Levsha]

He basically lost most of one rudder in their props and forced the Orion to make an emergency landing.

I'm pretty sure the FLANKER pilot didn't delay in finding somewhere to land either!

I'm just pointing it out because I once saw a picture of the same Flanker adorned with a P-3 "kill" marking as a result of the incident/accident and I couldn't help but wonder why the Norwegian pilot couldn't have applied the same marking to his P-3 Orion - with a Su-27 Silhouette underneath his cockpit window of course...

[Iranian F-14A]

I don't remember the NATO codename 'Foxtrot' being used before ? 'Bear' yes but not 'Bear Foxtrot' ??? T'would seem in this case they fancied a wee look at the joint marine exercise Neptune Warrior, well wouldn't you ?
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1109516/L/

I think the reason for the codename Bear Foxtrot is the Tu-142 is the Bear F,aka Foxtrot in the phonetic alphabet.So this would be used to identify that it was an ASW model.

[Ren Frew]

I think the reason for the codename Bear Foxtrot is the Tu-142 is the Bear F,aka Foxtrot in the phonetic alphabet.So this would be used to identify that it was an ASW model.

Ah, now I get it. Cheers...