A Royal Air Force detachment has returned from a busy deployment to Estonia, during which it intercepted 10 Russian aircraft in a single mission, according to a RAF news release. The detachment of four Typhoon fighters spent four months doing the Baltic air policing mission before the 121 Expeditionary Air Wing handed the mission over to Germany’s 31st Tactical Air Wing on Aug. 25. The Typhoons were scrambled 17 times and intercepted more than 40 Russian aircraft during the deployment, including fighters, bombers, and surveillance aircraft, according to the RAF. The commander of 6 Squadron, Wing Commander Jim Walls, said he was proud of everything the unit accomplished. “We deployed only one month after returning from exercise in North America and have flawlessly delivered expeditionary air power in the Baltic,” he said. “Now, as ever, whatever the next challenge may be, we are ready.”
Aircraft readiness will suffer if Congress does not approve some $1.5 billion worth of spare parts the Air Force requested in its annual Unfunded Priorities List, sent to Capitol Hill last week, Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin said.