North Atlantic Council members have experienced what it is like to be intercepted by the defenders of UK airspace – RAF Typhoons on Quick Reaction Alert.
The NAC representatives, flying from Brussels to Glasgow, were met by two Typhoon fighter jets over the North Sea just off the east coast of England as part of their regular training.
These practices ensure that QRA teams are ready to respond to potential threats in or near UK airspace, such as a commercial airliner not communicating or an unscheduled military aircraft.
QRA also regularly collaborates with our NATO neighbours to ensure a coordinated response is given to any potential threat travelling from one country’s airspace, known as their Flight Information Region, to another.
The UK’s Quick Reaction Alert is conducted by Typhoons based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire and RAF Lossiemouth in North Scotland. Crews are on standby 24/7 and are ready to react at a moment’s notice to reach a threat within minutes, no matter the location within or just outside the UK’s airspace.
In addition, the UK is committed to NATO Air Policing in Eastern Europe. RAF Typhoons are currently based in Estonia patrolling the eastern border of NATO and responding to potential threats in the same way they do when conducting QRA over the UK.
