QRA North & South

At approximately 0925 this morning we were alerted to a Voyager wearing a NATO Air Policing Squawk heading NORTH Towards SCOTLAND by @CivMilAir.

Aircraft involved:

“R4S64” (ZZ336) {(336)/G-VYGG} [Voyager KC3] (Based at: RAF Brize Norton – 10/101sq RAF)
“Y5R11” [TYPHOON] (Based at RAF Lossimouth) (Reported Airborne at 1015L)
“Y5R12” [TYPHOON] (Based at RAF Lossimouth) (Reported Airborne at 1015L)
“9AF41” ZK342 {EA} [Typhoon FGR4] (Based at: RAF Coningsby) (Reported Airborne at 1209L)
“9AF42” [TYPHOON] (Based at RAF Coningsby) (Reported Airborne at 1209L)
“NATO37” ZH103 [Boeing Sentry AEW1] (Based at: RAF Waddington – 8Sqn | RAF)
Unfortunately I was out and 35mins away from HQ, therfore most of this will be social media information from a multitude of followers:

@EGXCinfo RAF Voyager callsign R4S64 scrambled from Brize Norton with NATO Policing squawk. Direct to Lossie.

— Paul Rainford (@PaulRainford) September 22, 2016

@EGXCinfo this is it? pic.twitter.com/FKG1FoLhb4

— Bob Thomas (@reddragonglass1) September 22, 2016

@EGXCinfo voyager definitely headed towards lossie pic.twitter.com/KsRaJ2JIqA

— Oldskoolrocka (@2212leigh) September 22, 2016

@EGXCinfo on FR24 pic.twitter.com/XMuWu6KPE9

— Bob Thomas (@reddragonglass1) September 22, 2016

@EGXCinfo still active to the west of Scotland. pic.twitter.com/QUVN1XLBVV

— Bob Thomas (@reddragonglass1) September 22, 2016

At around 1220 Typhoon “9AF41” ZK342 {EA} [Typhoon FGR4] (Based at: RAF Coningsby) was then seen with an Emergency Squawk Code of 7700 (Transponder callsign “QRA00001”) and Declared a Pan due to “Failure of the environmental control and oxygen” he was observed in a descent to 10,000 and returning to RAF Coningsby. He was first seen over Solihull when his Mode-S was switched on, probably due to the emergency. However shortly after the Pilot reported that the failed systems were now operational and began a climb back to FL400, he was in company with “9AF42” but not seen on Mode-S. Once he switched from the Emergency Squawk the Mode-S signal disappeared and he became un-trackable by us (EGXWinfo Group).

@EGXCinfo pic.twitter.com/ykTDJHnYuP

— Mark Anstee (@MarkAnstee2) September 22, 2016

@EGXCinfo Saw this earlier (approx 12:25) Seems it was sorted and Typhoon continued with QRA pic.twitter.com/3kXxUmLvRM

— AlGrant (@AlGrant00) September 22, 2016

1224 Tanker was seen heading South

@CivMilAir @EGXCinfo still out & about pic.twitter.com/PCjgzXs1SY

— Billy Kydd (@IclouMik) September 22, 2016

1328L looks like “NATO37” appeared again over North Wales going SSW, headed to AARA12 but did not establish a track, then turned back inland.

@EGXCinfo tanker still seems to be holding off SW of Cornwall pic.twitter.com/5qyEUlKqCT

— Bob Thomas (@reddragonglass1) September 22, 2016

1334L Voyager seems to be established in AARA11

1346L I Still can not be sure what the Target Aircraft was for this QRA, however Russian Comms were reported on 8033KHz although this could just be coincidence. I image North were scrambled to the target which was North of UK Airspace, I think they were then tracked round the country Anti-Clockwise at which point South were scrambled. It looks like it is now all over and it may well have been passed onto our next NATO partners like it was last time something similar happened.

A great picture of the Tankers route from a follower:

@EGXCinfo or…. pic.twitter.com/QOiT1yZbut

— Bob Thomas (@reddragonglass1) September 22, 2016

All information contained within this post was gathered from social media & aircraft tracking websites only, no radio intercepts were made by EGXWinfo Group and none of the social media sources have claimed to be in any way connected to the RAF/MOD – Should any official body be concerned with the information contained within this or any other post please contact us urgently using this form, providing an official email address for verification.