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British aircraft carrier approached by Russian plane in Norwegian Sea, UK Defense Ministry says

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • A British aircraft carrier in the Norwegian Sea was repeatedly approached by a Russian patrol aircraft in what the UK called an "unsafe and unprofessional" incident.
  • Two F-35 fighter jets from the HMS Prince of Wales were deployed to escort the Russian "Bear-F" aircraft away.
  • The incident occurred as NATO members prepare to pledge significant military assistance to Ukraine.

Britain reported that its aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, was repeatedly approached by a Russian patrol aircraft in the Norwegian Sea on July 2. The UK Defense Ministry described the encounter as "unsafe and unprofessional," prompting the deployment of two British F-35 fighter jets to escort the Russian "Bear-F" aircraft away from the naval formation.

The Russian aircraft reportedly passed at a low altitude and "unnecessarily close" to the carrier, deploying a large number of sonobuoys, devices used to detect submarines. This incident is the latest in a series of events that risk escalating tensions between NATO and Russia.

The encounter occurred ahead of a NATO meeting in Ankara, where member states are expected to pledge €70 billion in military aid to Ukraine for 2026. Britain's carrier strike group is currently deployed under NATO command in the High North, aimed at bolstering North Atlantic security amid concerns over Russian aggression.

Earlier this year, British vessels were deployed to protect cables and pipelines from Russian submarines operating in UK waters. UK Defense Minister Dan Jarvis had also recently visited forces onboard the aircraft carrier near Iceland.

The Bear-F...dropped a large number of sonobuoys in close proximity to the carrier.

— UK Defense MinistryDescribing the actions of the Russian aircraft during the encounter.
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Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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