The RAF has seemingly halted surveillance flights over the Black Sea after Russian warplanes flew "dangerously" close to a British spy plane.
Analysis of publicly accessible flight-tracking data indicates that no RAF Rivet Joint aircraft have ventured into the region since April 21.
The apparent pause comes despite Defence Secretary John Healey's pledge that Britain would not be intimidated by what he described as "dangerous and unacceptable behaviour by Russian pilots towards an unarmed aircraft operating in international airspace".
Military sources indicated that the Rivet Joint aircraft would typically conduct two missions weekly to the area.
The Ministry of Defence revealed last week that a Russian SU-35 fighter came so dangerously close to the unarmed British reconnaissance aircraft in international airspace that it activated the plane's emergency systems and knocked out its autopilot.
A second Russian jet, an SU-27, executed six separate passes near the RAF aircraft, approaching within just 19 feet of its nose.
The Rivet Joint, which can carry a crew of up to 30 personnel, has not been tracked returning to Black Sea airspace in the five weeks since the incident.
The RAF has suspended surveillance flights over Black Sea after Russian SU-27 got dangerously close to a British Rivet Joint aircraft
|REUTERS
Military sources told the Mail on Sunday that RAF surveillance planes deliberately keep their transponders active in international airspace, allowing public tracking as a signal to Moscow that Britain is monitoring the region.
Tim Ripley, an analyst for the Defence Eye website, said the apparent halt to spy flights demonstrated that the RAF was treating the latest Russian threat with appropriate gravity, particularly given a 2022 incident when a Russian pilot allegedly attempted to bring down a Rivet Joint.
"I would suggest that Moscow's action shows they have made a presumption that these flights are helping the Ukrainians and are clearly concerned," Mr Ripley said.
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John Healey has pledged that Britain would not be intimidated by what he described as dangerous and unacceptable behaviour by Russia
| GETTY"But the RAF must take them seriously as in 2022 we saw a Russian fighter jet fire two missiles at a Rivet Joint, which both missed.
"It was later claimed that this was a malfunction, but that is very unlikely."
The Ministry of Defence declined to offer detailed information about surveillance operations, stating: "We work with Nato allies on surveillance flights, but we will not help our adversaries by providing a detailed commentary."
However, a spokesman reiterated the government's resolute position following the Russian interceptions.
"This recent incident has not deterred the UK's commitment to defend Nato, our allies and our interests from Russian aggression," the spokesman said, echoing Mr Healey's earlier defiant response.
The apparent contradiction between official statements of resolve and the five-week absence of tracked flights over the Black Sea remains unexplained by the government.
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