'Specialised' RAF spy plane deployed to Norway after Russia surveillance ops against HMS Prince of Wales
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Both sides are contesting the High North by increasing the number of ships and aircraft in the region
Keen-eyed pilots deployed on a RAF spy plane has been deployed to Norway after recent activities from Russia.
The River Joint aircraft will be heading to Ørland as part of Exercise Arctic Stone. It’s designed to gather vital intelligence and give commanders a clearer picture of what’s going on - keeping the UK and allied nations by security Nato’s northern flank.
Royal navy sailors aboard and HMS Prince of Wales, as part of the UK Carrier Strike Group (UKCSG), had to contend with a Russian spy ship loitering near them during a key exercise. The Yuri Ivanov was spotted during Nato’s premier submarine-hunting operation in Norway, Exercise Dynamic Mongoose.
The signals intelligence collection (SIGNIT) ship was tracked by Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan and associated UKCSG aircraft. Areas of the North Atlantic and High North have been hotly contested, with the government considering it as a key region for security.
The RAF said: “The deployment underlines the growing strategic importance of the High North, a region increasingly central to Nato's northern defences and to the wider security of Europe. As the security picture in the region continues to evolve, the presence of RAF assets working alongside key allies and partners in the area is becoming an ever more important part of how Nato maintains stability on its northern flank.”
Operated by 51 Squadron aviators, River Joint is one of the key aircraft in the RAF's ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance) fleet. The RAF describe the aircraft as versatile and specialised.
It can monitor electromagnetic signals and deliver real-time strategic and tactical intelligence in a more advanced way than other capabilities. “Its crews use advanced sensors to intercept and analyse this data as it is gathered, while ground specialists in No. 54 Signals Unit process and exploit the intelligence collected,” the RAF added.
“Together, this partnership between air and ground gives commanders improved clarity and situational awareness, day and night, whatever the operational conditions.”
Exercise Arctic Stone will see British personnel will train alongside the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Key information of the environment will be passed on to senior commanders.
The RAF said: “In a world that continues to grow more digitally connected, and where security threats rarely respect national borders, maintaining the UK's security is no longer just about protecting the homeland. The strength and security of NATO has a direct bearing on the UK's own defence, and that impact should not be underestimated.”