Russian Military Aircraft Approach British Aircraft Carrier in Norwegian Sea; F-35s Scrambled

The British Ministry of Defence announced on July 6 (local time) that it scrambled fighter jets after Russian military aircraft made an unusual approach toward a British aircraft carrier sailing toward the Arctic Circle to support a NATO mission.

According to the European edition of Politico, two Russian Tu-142 maritime reconnaissance aircraft approached the HMS Prince of Wales as it was passing through the Norwegian Sea on July 2.

The UK Ministry of Defence explained that the Russian aircraft approached the carrier in a "dangerous and unprofessional" manner, dropping a large number of sonobuoys—devices that act as underwater microphones to detect and track submarines—near the carrier.

In response, the British military launched two F-35 fighter jets from the carrier to escort the Russian aircraft away.

The HMS Prince of Wales is the first European aircraft carrier to participate in NATO air defense missions using F-35 fighter jets.

The British military has been leading the NATO Allied Response Force (ARF) Special Operations Component Command (SOCC) since July 1. In line with this, Defence Minister Dan Jarvis visited the HMS Prince of Wales as it passed Iceland.

The Ministry of Defence stated that this deployment is "to help protect NATO allies in response to the growing threat from the Russian military."

In an interview with Channel 4, Minister Jarvis emphasized, "We must keep in mind that there are threats from Russia everywhere—underwater, on the surface, on land, in the air, in space, and in cyberspace."

Recent reports also indicated that a luxury yacht worth approximately 100 million pounds (204.4 billion won), believed to be owned by Russian President Vladimir Putin, was passing through the Norwegian Sea toward Russia.

The Daily Telegraph speculated that President Putin, concerned about potential Ukrainian drone attacks, had ordered the Russian Navy to escort the vessel and urgently evacuate it to Russia.

When asked if the British military was tracking the vessel's whereabouts, Minister Jarvis did not provide a direct answer but replied, "We know where the ship is."

Minister Jarvis added, "The fact that this yacht is moving suggests that Putin is under increasing pressure."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.