Russian Tu-142 Drops Submarine-Hunting Sensors Near UK Aircraft Carrier

A Russian Tu-142 maritime patrol and anti-submarine aircraft dropped multiple sonobuoys  near the UK Carrier Strike Group in the Norwegian Sea before being intercepted by British F-35 fighter jets.

According to Politico on July 6, citing the UK Ministry of Defense, the interception took place on July 2, when F-35B fighter jets launched from the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales intercepted and escorted the Russian “Bear F” aircraft away from the carrier group.

The UK Ministry of Defense said the Russian aircraft had repeatedly approached the British-led naval formation while conducting “unsafe and unprofessional” maneuvers.

Politico reported that the Tu-142 dropped multiple sonobuoys in close proximity to HMS Prince of Wales. Sonobuoys are expendable devices equipped with acoustic sensors that can function as underwater microphones to detect and track submarines.

The British carrier is currently leading NATO air defense operations in the region and is the first European aircraft carrier to conduct such missions with F-35 fighter jets.

The incident comes as the United Kingdom has assumed command of NATO's Allied Reaction Force (ARF), the alliance’s high-readiness force designed for rapid deployment. The UK Ministry of Defense described the formation as “the spearhead” of NATO's rapid deployment teams and said it is “able to deploy anywhere in the world within days.”

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Speaking to Politico, UK Defense Minister Dan Jarvis declined to comment on whether HMS Prince of Wales was monitoring Russian President Vladimir Putin’s superyacht, which has recently been reported sailing along Norway’s coast toward Russia, but said: “We know where it is.”

The UK Ministry of Defense characterized the encounter with the Russian aircraft as part of ongoing operations supporting NATO missions in northern Europe amid increased military activity in the Arctic and North Atlantic regions.

Earlier, NATO F-35 fighter jets intercepted Russian Tu-160 “Blackjack” strategic bombers during a long-range flight over the Barents and Norwegian Seas near the UK’s northern flank, as Moscow continued increased long-range aviation activity in the High North.

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