UK Regularly Scrambles Fighters To Check Planes

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White Cap
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UK Regularly Scrambles Fighters To Check Planes

Beitrag von White Cap »

Source: Airwise

UK Regularly Scrambles Fighters To Check Planes
December 28, 2006

Britain regularly scrambles fighter jets to check on commercial aircraft flying into its air space, the head of the Royal Air Force was quoted on Thursday as saying.

Since the September 11 hijacked airliner attacks in the US, there had been at least one incident a month requiring a Royal Air Force Tornado fighter to intervene in British skies, Air Chief Marshal Glenn Torpy was quoted as saying by The Times.

"The Tornados have been launching pretty regularly for any aircraft that appear to be behaving oddly: for instance, where airline pilots fail to communicate with flight control or take an unexpected route," Torpy said.

"We're pretty acutely aware of the short time that we have to respond to these incidents. If there is any doubt at all about an aircraft, we launch the Tornados," he said.

It is the first time since the end of the Cold War that fighters are being regularly scrambled from British air bases to monitor planes in national airspace, The Times said.

Four quick-reaction alert Tornado F3 planes are on permanent standby to investigate any plane that has not precisely followed accepted flight control procedures, it said.

Torpy said the RAF shadowed one commercial flight with a Tornado last month when the airliner diverted to Prestwick Airport near Glasgow after a passenger became disruptive.

The Times did not indicate what happened on the other occasions that fighters were scrambled.

However, it said Prime Minister Tony Blair would have to give authorization to shoot down any plane hijacked by militants intent on a September 11-style attack.

Britain suffered its worst peacetime attack in July 2005 when four British Islamists blew themselves up on London's transport network, killing 52 commuters and wounding hundreds.

Anti-terrorist police say they have thwarted at least five major plots since last year's attacks. In August, police said they had foiled a plot to blow up transatlantic airliners using liquid explosives.

The head of Britain's domestic spy agency said last month Muslim extremists were plotting at least 30 major terrorist attacks in Britain and the threats may involve chemical and nuclear devices.
' Fiat Justita'
Triple Nickel
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Beitrag von Triple Nickel »

Mmmm so if I book a flight to the UK I heve to chance to photographs some fighters air to air????

Sound good to me!! :D

Ron
Maik
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Beitrag von Maik »

Good reason for buying a lot of "Fly 2 - pay 1" flights at ryanair.com! ;)
Maik
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