Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft, including Typhoon fighters, Voyager refueling aircraft, and the RC-135 reconnaissance plane, are regularly conducting surveillance of Russian military forces over the Black Sea. The RC-135 has been deployed to monitor Russian troops in temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine, while the multirole Typhoon fighters provide escort.
These operations have been ongoing for some time, with the UK gathering intelligence on Russian forces well before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It is important to note that these flights are not classified. The global community, including Russia, is aware of this mission.
As noted by a former Air Force officer speaking on condition of anonymity, any intelligence gathered is officially sent only to NATO countries. However, it is no secret that some of these countries quickly relay the necessary information to Ukraine, enabling Ukrainian forces to counter the aggressor’s attacks. The data provided by Western intelligence helps Ukraine respond more swiftly to events and be better prepared.
“These RAF missions highlight the vital yet often overlooked role of the United Kingdom in supporting Ukraine through intelligence gathering,” stated an analyst from Open Source Intelligence. “The deployment of the RC-135W Rivet Joint aircraft demonstrates how seriously the UK takes this role, discreetly providing critical information that enables Ukraine to respond to Russian threats.”
In his view, this serves as a reminder that it’s important to look beyond newspaper headlines and understand the extensive work happening behind the scenes and how it contributes to Ukraine’s self-defense capabilities. The visible operations of these aircraft send a clear signal to Russia and reinforce the United Kingdom’s commitments.
The Typhoon aircraft accompanying the RC-135 Rivet Joint reconnaissance plane demonstrate how seriously the United Kingdom takes these missions. Following the incident in 2022 when the RC-135 was nearly shot down, it became clear that the Royal Air Force is not willing to take risks. Therefore, this escort serves not only as a protective measure but also as a clear signal to Russia that the UK will continue gathering intelligence despite the risks involved.
“The presence of the Royal Air Force is aimed at reassuring allies and supporting Ukraine, while also demonstrating to Moscow that its threats will not deter action,” adds the analyst.
According to information from the Royal Air Force website, the RC-135W Rivet Joint is a specialized signals intelligence aircraft designed for use across all theaters of operations for strategic and tactical missions. Its sensors “collect” electronic emissions from communication devices, radars, and other systems.
It is noted that the RC-135W Rivet Joint is operated by multi-skilled weapon systems specialists and weapon systems operators, whose mission is to explore elements of the electromagnetic spectrum to gather intelligence for commanders. The Royal Air Force states that this aircraft has participated in Operation Shader and other missions. Officially, it is known as Airseeker, but it is commonly referred to as the RC-135W Rivet Joint. Currently, the United Kingdom has three such aircraft in service.
Source: ukdefencejournal
