UK says Russian jets made dangerous intercepts of RAF spy plane over Black Sea

The UK Ministry of Defence says Russian fighter jets carried out repeated and dangerous intercepts of an unarmed Royal Air Force surveillance aircraft over the Black Sea last month. The aircraft involved was a Rivet Joint, which was on a routine international flight supporting Nato's eastern flank. Defence Secretary John Healey said the incident created a serious risk of accidents and potential escalation.

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According to the ministry, a Russian Su-35 approached close enough to trigger the RAF aircraft's emergency systems and disable its autopilot. It also said a Su-27 made six passes in front of the plane, coming as close as six metres from its nose. The ministry described the episode as the most dangerous Russian action since 2022, when a Russian pilot fired a missile at a Rivet Joint over the Black Sea.

Healey praised the professionalism of the RAF crew and said the behaviour of the Russian pilots was unacceptable. He said the aircraft was operating in international airspace and that the UK's commitment to defend Nato, its allies and its interests would not be deterred. The Ministry of Defence and the Foreign Office have called on the Russian embassy to condemn the incident.

The episode matters because it comes at a time of heightened concern over military activity around the Black Sea and wider tensions between Russia and Nato. The Black Sea has been a sensitive military theatre since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with air and maritime encounters carrying the risk of miscalculation. The UK has also linked the incident to what it described as increased Russian aggression in the region.

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The Rivet Joint aircraft is operated by No 51 Squadron and is used to intercept and analyse signals across the electromagnetic spectrum, providing real-time intelligence. The ministry said the flight was part of a routine international mission to help secure Nato's eastern flank. The aircraft typically operates from a base in Lincolnshire, and the incident underlines the role of surveillance flights in Nato's wider monitoring of the region.

This is not the first such confrontation over the Black Sea. In September 2022, a Russian pilot fired two missiles at another RAF Rivet Joint aircraft, with the first missile missing rather than malfunctioning, according to later accounts from Western defence sources. The UK initially accepted Russia's explanation that the earlier incident was caused by a technical malfunction, but later reporting from defence sources challenged that account.

The latest episode will likely renew scrutiny of air safety procedures and military signalling in the area. What remains unclear is how the Russian side will respond to the UK's public condemnation and request for an official rebuke from the embassy. It is also not clear whether the incident will lead to any change in RAF surveillance operations over the Black Sea.

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