Russian aircraft capable of carrying 16 nuclear missiles intercepted off Scotland’s coast
Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon aircraft were sent to intercept the Russian Blackjack bombers and escorted them from the airspace
RUSSIAN bombers capable of carrying 16 nuclear missiles have been intercepted off the coast of Scotland.
The deadly aircraft flew in from the east, passing just west of the Shetland islands before being intercepted by two of RAF's Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon jets.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed the incident, with a Royal Air Force spokesperson saying: "We can confirm that Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth intercepted two Russian Blackjack bombers and escorted them while they were in the UK area of interest.
"At no point did the aircraft enter UK territorial airspace."
The intercepted planes are believed to have been Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack bombers.
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Two more Typhoons from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire also took off after the Russian aircrafts were detected but were not required.
It is not the first time that Typhoons were scrambled to intercept two Blackjack bombers, with an almost identical incident taking place in November last year.
In October 2015, Typhoons also intercepted Russian jets that were flying over the North Sea.
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