RAF Typhoons Intercept Russian Tu-95s Near UK Airspace

RAF Typhoons scrambled from RAF Lossiemouth intercepted two Russian Tu-95 ‘Bear’ bombers near UK airspace on October 8, 2025.

On 8 October 2025, Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon fighters launched from RAF Lossiemouth to shadow two Russian Tu-95 ‘Bear’ long-range bombers that were approaching UK airspace over the North Sea. The pair of aircraft were monitored until they turned away from the region, with the RAF describing the mission as routine NATO air policing.

What happened

The mission began when RAF Typhoons were vectored to intercept the unidentified aircraft in international airspace north-east of the UK. Pilots visually identified the two Tu-95 aircraft and maintained a safe escort while reporting position updates to UK air-defence controllers. At no point did the RAF report any incursion into sovereign UK territory.

RAF Lossiemouth is a regular QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) base for the UK, and Typhoon intercepts are a standard response when long-range aircraft operate close to NATO airspace. NATO air policing is intended to deter, document and de-escalate potential threats while ensuring continuous situational awareness for allied forces.

• Fast fact: RAF Typhoons scrambled from RAF Lossiemouth to shadow two Russian Tu-95 ‘Bear’ bombers on 8 October 2025.
• Location: North Sea approaches to UK airspace.
• Operation type: Routine NATO air policing and QRA response.

The incident underscores persistent military air activity near Western airspace and the need for rapid reaction capability. While such intercepts are frequent, each one is logged and assessed by both national and NATO command structures to track patterns and inform defense posture.

Officials emphasised the intercept was conducted professionally and without escalation. For residents and travellers, these events rarely affect civilian flights; they are primarily an airborne monitoring and identification task to protect national airspace integrity.