RAF jets practice new drills over Wiltshire in case of Russian attack

This move is part of a broader set of measures to enhance national defence capabilities in light of recent international tensions. The scrambling operations involve rapid deployment from their bases, simulating conditions of an unexpected assault. The exercises have been designed to ensure the RAF is battle-ready at a moment's notice.

Speaking before the conflict in Ukraine, former RAF boss Mike Wigston had suggested that pilots must be prepared for instant deployment to counter potential Russian aggression. He said: "There is a worst-case scenario where things we hold dear, parts of the UK, are within range of Russian missiles." The RAF has been practising dispersal to Boscombe Down in Wiltshire, a former World War Two airfield, reports The Sun.

This site is primarily used to test prototype aircraft and has not been utilised by an operational squadron for over three decades. The operations were part of a broader strategy involving squadrons scattering into 'fighting fours' to minimise the risk of a complete fleet wipeout in a single strike. The RAF has also been simulating conditions of compromised air bases by practising landings on ice and motorways in Finland.

This is similar to operations of the Swedish Gripen fighter jet and Soviet MiG and Sukhoi jets, which were designed to land on motorways. The exercises are part of a concerted effort across the UK armed forces to bolster defences and prepare for any potential threats. The Army has recently confirmed a GBP120 million deal for six additional Land Ceptor launchers, each capable of firing eight missiles at a time at targets the size of tennis balls.

Boscombe Down Aviation Collection (Image: Newsquest) The Land Ceptor system forms a crucial part of the UK's defence strategy and is capable of firing at three times the speed of sound, with a range of up to 60 miles. The purchase follows recent war games that showed Britain could be overwhelmed by a missile and drone blitz.

This deal, the Ministry of Defence said, would 'bolster national security' and secure 140 jobs. It forms part of a broader government plan to add two Sky Sabre air defence batteries to the seven currently in service. Each battery consists of three Land Ceptor launchers, a Giraffe radar that detects and tracks incoming missiles, and a command and control centre which can guide up to 24 missiles onto 24 separate targets.

The Sky Sabre system is designed for short and medium-range missile defence, targeting aircraft, helicopters, and air-launched missiles. Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard stated: "We are equipping our armed forces with state-of-the-art equipment to help keep us safe." "Doubling our deployable Sky Sabre capability will strengthen the UK's air defences, protect UK forces abroad, and deter our adversaries."

These recent developments come after simulated war games based on attacks on Ukraine, which revealed that Russian missiles would overwhelm the UK. Red Arrows spotted flying over Swindon in surprise visit[1] All outbound flights from UK affected amid air traffic control issue[2]

Here is what gets rid of flying ants as these pesky insects swarm the UK[3] Defence chiefs simulated the first night of war to assess the UK's air defences, and Air Commodore Blythe Crawford admitted that it was 'not a pretty picture.' The war games, which used a GBP36 million wargaming system, tested the UK's responses to attacks from 'hundreds of different types of munitions' from various directions.

They uncovered several vulnerabilities, including a lack of airfields and insufficient hardened shelters to protect and hide jets on the ground. The Armed Forces rely on RAF Typhoons, scrambled from RAF Lossiemouth, to intercept incoming drones and cruise missiles. The British missiles capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles are based on the Royal Navy's Type 45 destroyers.

Following the war game results, a review of the RAF's resilience was promptly launched. The RAF has since then practised landing Typhoon jets on ice and motorways in Finland to prepare for potential base attacks. Air Commodore Blythe Crawford, head of the RAF's Air and Space Warfare Centre, stated: "Ukraine has made us all sit up."

"We need to reverse our thinking and assume that from here on, we're under threat in the home base now as well."

This exercise was part of a simulator known as Gladiator, launched following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

However, the results of the drill were only revealed recently.

References

1. ^ Red Arrows spotted flying over Swindon in surprise visit (www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk)
2. ^ All outbound flights from UK affected amid air traffic control issue (www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk)
3. ^ Here is what gets rid of flying ants as these pesky insects swarm the UK (www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk)