RAF Jets Report Close Encounters With Unidentified Drones Over North Sea
Two separate incidents in February saw pilots report objects flying at high altitudes, prompting investigations.
Royal Air Force jets had close encounters with two unidentified drones in British airspace earlier this year, according to reports. The incidents, occurring days apart in February over the North Sea, took place during air-to-air refueling and simulated combat training exercises.
The objects, which did not appear on radar, were reported to authorities by the RAF, and multiple external investigations are reportedly underway.
The first sighting occurred on February 18 off the coast of Cromer, Norfolk, when an RAF Airbus Voyager tanker was refueling a Typhoon fighter jet. The pilot reported an object passing nearby at an altitude of 17,000 feet, a height significantly above the legal limit for drones. In a report, the pilot stated the object's proximity caused him to "instinctively duck" and that he notified air traffic control, describing it as a "potential drone."
Less than a week later, on February 23, the pilot of a Typhoon jet engaged in a dogfight reported seeing a "black circular object (similar in size to a car tyre) pass directly above him." This encounter happened approximately 30 miles off Humberside. According to a Defense Aviation Safety Occurrence Report, the object passed about 300 feet above the aircraft. The pilot informed the radar controller, who subsequently reported the incident to North Yorkshire Police.
RAF findings concluded that the pilots acted appropriately in both instances. A local investigation into the second incident found "no causal factors," noting that the air proximity incident occurred "off frequency and the drone did not display on radar."
While the sightings, recorded as 'Voyager vs drone' and 'Typhoon vs drone,' have not been officially linked to hostile powers, they occurred shortly before the start of the U.S. war with Iran. This timing has fueled concerns that adversaries may be using drones for surveillance. The objects' high altitude and lack of radar detection further fueled suspicion.
These events followed other drone sightings. Weeks after the RAF encounters, U.S. forces detected similar drones at Fort McNair in Washington D.C. Additionally, earlier this year, defense experts suggested that drones observed over U.S. air bases in Norfolk and Suffolk had connections to a Russian ship positioned off the coast.