<< "A Russian nuclear bomber managed to get within 90 seconds of Hull in a mock attack as RAF radars failed to pick it up."

"The supersonic Blackjack changed course 20 miles from UK airspace, it has been reported.

The jet was picked up on RAF radars but only after it had turned back.

(...)

A senior RAF pilot told The Sun: “The Russians made us look helpless. The Blackjack could have got even closer. It was a disaster — it basically gave the Russians the green light to fly wherever they want.” >> (30.09.08)


Вот так. Лично мне - очень смешно В 20 милях от воздушного пространства Британии развернулся не какой-то маленький беспилотник, а стратегический бомбардировщик Ту-160, и его заметили только после выполнения смены курса.

Годом ранее в этом же издании писали:

<< "The RAF carried out its biggest operation to protect British airspace since the Cold War when four Tornados were scrambled to intercept eight Russian bombers approaching over the Atlantic."

An early warning aircraft and a VC-10 tanker were also launched to support the British fighters responding to apparent sabre-rattling by President Vladimir Putin.

The Russian aircraft, all Tupolev 95s, codenamed "Bears" by Nato, turned back before reaching British airspace.

This was the biggest deployment of Russian bombers to probe British air defences since the Cold War. Although the ''Bear'' is obsolescent, dating from the 1950s, Russia uses it for long-range reconnaissance missions, designed to test an opponent's reaction time. >> (09.09.07)

Какую панику тогда подняли-то
Вообще, довольно грустно, что весь политический мир - это дети, которые "меряются письками". И тратят на это дело миллиарды денег, в то время как есть куча иных проблем.

Источник цитат: Daily Telegraph