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4w ago

British F-35s Escort Russian Bear‑F After Sonobuoys Dropped Near Carrier

The July 2 encounter signals rising Russian undersea surveillance close to NATO forces.

Caption: 02 Jul 2026 ? F-35B fighters launching from HMS Prince of Wales to intercept a Russian military aircraft Royal Navy F-35B fighters of UK Carrier Strike Group launched from HMS Prince of Wales to intercept a Russian Tupolev Tu-142 maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft, NATO name 'Bear'. The 809NAS pilots launched F-35B fighters to intercept the Russian long-range maritime patrol bomber on the afternoon of the 2 July as it transited close to the Strike Group, north west of Norway in the Norwegian Sea. Image shows a Sonobuoy being deployed from the Russian Aircraft by parachute. When it hits the water it deploys an underwater microphone which listens for propeller and engine sounds. This information is then relayed back to the Aircraft. UK Carrier Strike Group is under the command of NATO as it continues operations in the High North and Arctic as part of the Arctic Sentry framework. The Strike Group?s headquarters is embarked in HMS Prince of Wales whilst it conducts Operation Firecrest after sailing from Portsmouth in April. The deployment to date has seen the Strike Group working with Allies and partner nations in the region, demonstrating its ability to operate effectively in a complex and strategically significant region while focused on NATO?s drive of preserving peace, security and cooperation in the Arctic. *** Local Caption *** Photographer: PO Phot Chris Sellars Provider: UK MOD Crown copyright Source: RN Copyright: UK MOD ? Crown copyright 2026
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Overview

  • On July 2 a Russian Tu-142 ‘Bear‑F’ maritime patrol aircraft repeatedly flew low and close to HMS Prince of Wales, dropped a large number of sonobuoys nearby, failed to answer safety-frequency calls, and was escorted away by two F-35 jets.
  • Sonobuoys are expendable acoustic sensors that transmit underwater sound to the launching aircraft, and the pattern of buoys laid near the carrier is consistent with anti-submarine surveillance or mapping of the carrier group’s undersea defenses.
  • The Carrier Strike Group is operating under NATO command on Operation Firecrest/Arctic Sentry, with HMS Prince of Wales conducting NATO air-defence patrols using F-35s from its deck for the first time from a European carrier.
  • The UK Ministry of Defence called the manoeuvre 'unsafe and unprofessional,' Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis visited the ship after the incident, and Britain has just assumed command of NATO’s high-readiness special operations component.
  • Allied officials say the episode fits a growing pattern of Russian probing in the High North that raises the risk of miscalculation and underlines NATO’s stated need to protect undersea infrastructure and sustain deterrence in the region.