British reconnaissance aircraft spotted near Crimea border
A Royal Air Force RC-135W strategic reconnaissance aircraft and two Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets were spotted flying about 120km from the Russian airspace border near Crimea.
According to Flightradar data, at around 5:30 p.m. (local time) on March 24, the RC-135W reconnaissance aircraft flew a circle near Romanian territory, then headed east with two fighter jets with the registration numbers DREAD011 and DREAD012.
The British aircraft group was moving towards Crimea and was seen about 120km from the peninsula. This is the first time a British Eurofighter Typhoon has been seen since the crash of a US MQ-9 Reaper drone.
According to Russia, during the flight, the British military aircraft turned off its transponder to avoid being tracked.
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British RC-135W electronic reconnaissance aircraft. Photo: Royal Air Force |
So far, there has been no official statement on whether Russian fighter jets were present, however, it is clear that the British aircraft's activities were monitored.
According to experts, Britain may have received information about the deployment of Russian ships and submarines, which does not exclude the possibility of new attacks on Crimea by Ukrainian drones.
He has not yet commented on the above information.
RC-135W River Joint is used to reconnaissance airborne, seaborne and ground-based radiation sources in the cm, dm, and m wavelength ranges. At the same time, it is used to counter enemy air forces and air defense systems.
The RC-135 electronic reconnaissance aircraft has a maximum range of 12,000km, a maximum altitude of 15,000m, a speed of 860km/h, and a continuous flight time of over 12 hours. After refueling in the air, it can operate in the air for over 20 hours.
