First operational QRA launch for Typhoon

[Starlight]

I'd say (sorry for my bad english): Someone wanted to impress somebody else and instead he was impressed himself :)

 

Anyway, I'm quite convinced that the Tornado F-3 was a better interceptor than the EF2000. Not a better fighter, just a better interceptor...

 

 

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/TyphoonLaunchesOperationallyForTheFirstTime.htm

 

 

 

[Highwayman-Ed]

It always makes me smile that an airforce which many class as understaffed, underequipped and out dated manages to penetrate the airspace of countrys equipped with the latest and greatest Interceptors on a regular basis.

 

I mean seriously, I know the Bear has been upgraded and modified, but the airframe is now over 50 years old, and these guys manage to pull off amazing feats of endurance on a regular basis. I know that the aircraft are not going to be shot down BVR potentially before they enter a countrys sovereign airspace in peacetime, but in a wartime situation, these bears would have already unleashed their dogs of war and turned for home well before that for Vodka and Borscht :smilewink:

 

It's happened many times before, but you should never underestimate your opponent. I think these guys are amazing and they have my respect.

[rogue_blade]

It always makes me smile that an airforce which many class as understaffed, underequipped and out dated manages to penetrate the airspace of countrys equipped with the latest and greatest Interceptors on a regular basis.

 

I mean seriously, I know the Bear has been upgraded and modified, but the airframe is now over 50 years old, and these guys manage to pull off amazing feats of endurance on a regular basis. I know that the aircraft are not going to be shot down BVR potentially before they enter a countrys sovereign airspace in peacetime, but in a wartime situation, these bears would have already unleashed their dogs of war and turned for home well before that for Vodka and Borscht :smilewink:

 

It's happened many times before, but you should never underestimate your opponent. I think these guys are amazing and they have my respect.

 

sorry where in that article does it say they penetrated their airspace. the the typhoons simply intercepted the bears as they were detected flying over european airspace. of course we have no idea where though

[Starlight]

It always makes me smile that an airforce which many class as understaffed, underequipped and out dated manages to penetrate the airspace of countrys equipped with the latest and greatest Interceptors on a regular basis.

 

I mean seriously, I know the Bear has been upgraded and modified, but the airframe is now over 50 years old, and these guys manage to pull off amazing feats of endurance on a regular basis. I know that the aircraft are not going to be shot down BVR potentially before they enter a countrys sovereign airspace in peacetime, but in a wartime situation, these bears would have already unleashed their dogs of war and turned for home well before that for Vodka and Borscht :smilewink:

 

It's happened many times before, but you should never underestimate your opponent. I think these guys are amazing and they have my respect.

 

 

The problem is that the old Bear can launch its missiles well before being intercepted by RAF. Typhoons were not designed for long-range, long-endurance CAPs or BARCAPs. The Tornado F3 won't beat any fighter in a dogfight but it was very good as interceptor.

 

Anyway don't start a flame on this topic, it already happened here:

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=118656

 

and here are some partial answers to the previous post too

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showpost.php?p=2718188&postcount=13

[Highwayman-Ed]

I'm not citing this case explicitly, but if you look through the recent press articles, Bears have been intercepted inside British airspace recently...

 

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/7/22/213125.shtml

 

and have skirted the airspace of Norway, the UK and Alaska too...

 

I can't vouch for the acuraccy of the articles, but I honestly would not be surprised.

 

DISCALIMER: I'm not saying that Russia is able to nuke the world at it's will, and I'm not implying that the RAF or other countries are not able counter their threat if god forbid it ever came to that, I'm merely pointing out the excellent aimanship of these Russian pilots flying an aircraft on extremely long distance sorties on some occassions that warrants respect.

 

I Know that US pilots also do similar things in B-2 Spirits, but they're not exactly the same type of aircraft to fly now are they...? :smilewink:

 

DISCALIMER 2: I'm not saying that USAF pilots are not as good as Russian pilots because they have a coffee maker in their plane!

 

Please take the message as it was intended, these guys deserve respect for their endurance...

[jonob66]

Intercepting a Bear is no easy task. It can be a painful experience. Many RAF pilots when they got close they found the vibration, from the contra rotating props, was deafening and would in some cases cause their fillings to work loose:music_walkman:

 

In fact USN submarines could track bears using the low frequency listening devices.

 

Personally I think the Tornado crews do a great job as will the new Typhoon ones. Although as already been pointed out, if they had hostile intentions they could use cruise missiles up to 140 miles from their targets. :helpsmilie:

[Mugatu]

And you don't think they would be intercepted before their launch point?

 

ps Maybe that's why they are on QRA, they can get out and intercept the target before their launch points, and that will even be further back once the meteors are in service.

 

No hoping the missile is out of energy when it gets close!!

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/meteor-missile-will-make-changes-to-accommodate-f35-0599/

[Highwayman-Ed]

If there was a BARCAP in place over North sea, maybe...

 

In a wartime scenario however, Bears would most likely use their long range to venture out well over the arctic and make their attack run at low level using the curvature of the earth to mask their approach from Ground based radars in Norway, Iceland and the UK which would probably be the first things on the list to kill anyways...

 

In such a scenario, the RAF would probaby have deployed E-3's to the area to look for exactly that kind of thing as well though after all, to approach the UK from any other direction would pretty much involve flying through other NATO member states.

 

If such a thing were ever to happen that is...

[jonob66]

And you don't think they would be intercepted before their launch point?

 

ps Maybe that's why they are on QRA, they can get out and intercept the target before their launch points, and that will even be further back once the meteors are in service.

 

No hoping the missile is out of energy when it gets close!!

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/meteor-missile-will-make-changes-to-accommodate-f35-0599/

 

You are correct if the targets are on the mainland, however if they choose to target shipping in the North Sea or in the Artic, F3 and Typhoons would struggle to engage.

 

However this is all academic as I don't believe that Russia has any hostile intentions, they are just showing that they can still fly long range missions which is pretty amazing considering the lack of investment in their military.

[rogue_blade]

Intercepting a Bear is no easy task. It can be a painful experience. Many RAF pilots when they got close they found the vibration, from the contra rotating props, was deafening and would in some cases cause their fillings to work loose:music_walkman:

 

In fact USN submarines could track bears using the low frequency listening devices.

 

Personally I think the Tornado crews do a great job as will the new Typhoon ones. Although as already been pointed out, if they had hostile intentions they could use cruise missiles up to 140 miles from their targets. :helpsmilie:

 

if they had hostile intentions the RAF would have constant CAP along with the rest of europe and all their radar systems and naval units would be in action. you cant just say oh if the bears wanted to they could launch from miles away. if the RAF "WANTED" to they could shoot them down.

[jonob66]

if they had hostile intentions the RAF would have constant CAP along with the rest of europe and all their radar systems and naval units would be in action. you cant just say oh if the bears wanted to they could launch from miles away. if the RAF "WANTED" to they could shoot them down.

 

I'm sure that if the occasion arose the RAF would rise to the occasion. Anyway back to the main point. As an aviation enthusiast its great to see the Bear in the sky again. Also it helps counter recent criticism in the UK press about the need for the Typhoon. I just wish the UK gov would also see the need to bolster the RAF.

[VMFA117_Poko]

All this case with russian Bears... I mean this is not important is it out-dated or not. Starting overseas flights of strategic bombers all over again is pure political decision and looks like payback for US plans to build missile shield system in Czech Republic and Poland. It puts the attention little higher but there is nothing to worry about IMHO. It sounds like "don't mess with us 'cuz we bite and even shield will not help you... We won't bite but we needed to say it."

[tflash]

Beautiful pictures! What a mighty sight indeed.

[504smudge]

you know what amazes me is that ppl think this is a one off! this happenes all the time im stationed at RAF Leuchars which normaly coveres Q north but where on a bolthole at the moment (runway re-surface) and we usualy get a few Q launches a month to go play with the bears

[Starlight]

you know what amazes me is that ppl think this is a one off! this happenes all the time im stationed at RAF Leuchars which normaly coveres Q north but where on a bolthole at the moment (runway re-surface) and we usualy get a few Q launches a month to go play with the bears

 

The MoD said that this was the first time the Typhoons were sent to "play with the bears"... I don't know if this is true... But I know that interceptions take place on a regular basis...

[Pilotasso]

The problem is that the old Bear can launch its missiles well before being intercepted by RAF. Typhoons were not designed for long-range, long-endurance CAPs or BARCAPs. The Tornado F3 won't beat any fighter in a dogfight but it was very good as interceptor.

 

Anyway don't start a flame on this topic, it already happened here:

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=118656

 

and here are some partial answers to the previous post too

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showpost.php?p=2718188&postcount=13

 

 

WHat is the range of both planes? Im curious.

[Starlight]

WHat is the range of both planes? Im curious.

 

wikipedia states 1,400 km for the Typhoon (I thought it was much less, but I'd like to get more info on mission loadout and profile) and 15,000 km for the Bear. They're quite different planes anyway ;)

 

but I was pointing out that imho the eurofighter is not a pure interceptor. I could be tagged as "antiquated" but as pure interceptors I think about aircraft like F-14, F-15, Tornado F3, Mig-25/31.

Aircraft capable of doing Mach 2+ and loitering at long range for CAPs and BARCAPs.

 

The typhoon probably fills some gaps in speed and endurance using new tech now available as supercruise, new and more powerful avionics and weapons.

[MBot]

Superb pictures. That Bear looks both great and impressive. A wonderful airplane. The Typhoon is nice too :)

[tflash]

Man, the Typhoon with 4xAsraam and 4xAmraam is so "Lockon"!

 

I really start to dream about Lockon 3.0 with this slick jet!

[504smudge]

tornadoes takeoff with 4x asraams 4x ammrams and 2 large fuel tanks on Q

[4c Hajduk Veljko]

WHat is the range of both planes? Im curious.

Bear has unlimited range. Don't know if Typhoon has aerial refueling capability.

[Starlight]

Bear has unlimited range. Don't know if Typhoon has aerial refueling capability.

 

The Typhoon obviously has AAR capability. The fact that the Bear can refuel in midair too doesn't automatically mean it has unlimited range.

Typical missions do not allow tanker escort outside friendly airspace... in that case just outside Kola peninsula, so maybe you can start counting the 15,000 km just a few miles out of the coast, instead from Murmansk and Severomorsk airfields...

[Mugatu]

Tell the poor crew that, or the oil supply for the engines ...

 

Bear has unlimited range. Don't know if Typhoon has aerial refueling capability.

[reborn]

not to forget the maintenance :music_whistling:

[4c Hajduk Veljko]

Food and water as well. :smartass: