Large-Scale Russian Air Activity in Europe

[pym]

MONS, Belgium – NATO detected and monitored four groups of Russian military aircraft conducting significant military manoeuvers in European airspace over the Baltic Sea, North Sea/Atlantic Ocean, and Black Sea on 28 and 29 October 2014. These sizable Russian flights represent an unusual level of air activity over European airspace....

Six of the Russian aircraft then turned back to the north-east towards Russia, while two Tu-95 Bear H bombers continued south-west, parallel to the Norwegian coast, heading to the south-west. The Russian aircraft continued over the North Sea, and Typhoon fighters from the United Kingdom were scrambled in response. While over the Atlantic Ocean west of Portugal, the two Russian aircraft were intercepted and identified by F-16s from the Portuguese Air Force. The Russian aircraft turned back heading north-east, flying to the west of the United Kingdom.

http://aco.nato.int/nato-tracks-largescale-russian-air-activity-in-europe.aspx

So, over Irish airspace then? Were they tracked by Shanwick radar?

Deserves some attention, not that it will get any.

[terrier]

http://aco.nato.int/nato-tracks-larg...in-europe.aspx

So, over Irish airspace then? Were they tracked by Shanwick radar?

Deserves some attention, not that it will get any.

What ? You mean Shannonwatch won't be out there protesting ?

[morpheus]

A job for a journo to possibly raise?
can we prove that they did in fact enter irish air space at any point?

[pym]

A job for a journo to possibly raise?
can we prove that they did in fact enter irish air space at any point?

Their usual form with NATO nations would be to cut close, but not actually enter their airspace.

It would be nice to know if they were tracked by Irish primary radar, if they entered our airspace, if not, how close they came - and did their behavior necessitate any changes to other flight plans.

And the obvious question: in the future, if they do fly into our airspace, what's our protocol for dealing with them?

Seem to remember a story that one of the Casa's took a gawk at the Admiral Kuznetsov in response to Shannon radar detecting fast jet activity.

Think that was the same trip they dumped loads of waste oil and kept denying it.

[DeV]

ATC control the airspace, if they picked any aircraft up they track them

West of the UK could be 100 miles off the US East coast for all we know

[Herald]

Their usual form with NATO nations would be to cut close, but not actually enter their airspace.

It would be nice to know if they were tracked by Irish primary radar, if they entered our airspace, if not, how close they came - and did their behavior necessitate any changes to other flight plans.

And the obvious question: in the future, if they do fly into our airspace, what's our protocol for dealing with them?

Seem to remember a story that one of the Casa's took a gawk at the Admiral Kuznetsov in response to Shannon radar detecting fast jet activity.

Think that was the same trip they dumped loads of waste oil and kept denying it.

This would make for interesting questions for the minister.
Somehow I doubt Comrades Higgins or Boyd Barrett will be in the vanguard on this.

[pym]

ATC control the airspace, if they picked any aircraft up they track them

West of the UK could be 100 miles off the US East coast for all we know

If it had been that close to the US, they would have sent up a greeting party and we'd have heard all about it - but I take your point, we don't know if they passed 50 miles off our coast, or 500 - i just think that's worth finding out.

And the language of the article - they were within intercept range of the Portugese AF & then headed NE but "west of the UK", implies they were not a million miles away.

[Schmigs]

ATC control the airspace, if they picked any aircraft up they track them

West of the UK could be 100 miles off the US East coast for all we know

Does ATC have actual detection RADAR or are their capabilities transponder based?

[pym]

Does ATC have actual detection RADAR or are their capabilities transponder based?

Both

[Stevo768]

Where does a nations airspace begin. Is it just over the territory or is there an offshore limit. I remember a few years back Russian aircraft where intercepted of the coast of northern Ireland they where escorted out of UK airspace by tornados. An other question after the left Uk Airspace who'S did they Enter. In Cold war 2 Ireland can not be neutral and should have assets to deal with this.

[Schmigs]

This is the course take by the Russian aircraft according to the Daily Mail.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2814350/RAF-jets-scramble-intercept-Russian-bombers-North-Sea.html

[hptmurphy]

Could just ring Shannon and ask.

From memory all flight records are returned to Ballygirreen including transiting flights. There will be a record if they did transit Irish Airspace. I doubt if they showed up on SSR as flight plans would have to be filled to award Sqwak codes and if they had squaked they'd show up on 'Flight Radar' or sime such app and all the spotters would have been going bananas.

Being a user of 'Flight Radar' and being signed into some of the spotters face book pages I can say, no they didn't feature on SSR.

[ODIN]

Irish Airspace

[DeV]

Where does a nations airspace begin. Is it just over the territory or is there an offshore limit. I remember a few years back Russian aircraft where intercepted of the coast of northern Ireland they where escorted out of UK airspace by tornados. An other question after the left Uk Airspace who'S did they Enter. In Cold war 2 Ireland can not be neutral and should have assets to deal with this.

12 miles out as far as I know

[na grohmiti]

Remember when the INLA blew up one of the radar in West cork because they decided NATO were using them? There seems to be a lot more similar "Golfball" type radar have appeared around the country since then.