Russian spy plane drops sonar trackers near UK aircraft carrier

The Ministry of Defence described the incident as "unsafe and unprofessional," stating that radio calls to the approaching Russian aircraft on international frequencies went unanswered. The deployment of sonobuoys suggests the Russian aircraft was searching for submarines, though it may have been a signal of interest rather than tactical relevance.

This maneuver occurred during Operation FIRECREST, a flying operations exercise. The intercepting jets flying from the carrier itself highlights the need for carriers to support anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations. In a conflict scenario, F-35s would likely be dispatched to neutralize such aircraft before they could provide targeting information to enemy submarines or warships.

The Tu-142, a variant of the Tu-95 bomber, is known for its powerful turboprops and long range, capable of carrying numerous sonobuoys. Approximately 22 such aircraft remain operational with Russian naval aviation, primarily based near the Finnish and Norwegian borders. Activity by Russian naval aviation and intelligence-gathering assets near UK waters has reportedly increased by about 30% over the past two years.