This stunning video shot from the cockpit of a Typhoon fighter jet has revealed how RAF Top Gun pilots are keeping the aggressive Russian military in check.
The unique footage, filmed from a Go-pro camera mounted in the cockpit of the £90million superjet shows how the young pilots are on the front line of defending NATO borders.
In one clip, a Typhoon shadows a jet known as the ‘Flying Kremlin’ – an airborne command and control center to be used by Soviet leader Vladimir Putin in the event of a nuclear war.
And in another piece of footage vapor trails from a Russian jet – known as a ‘Zombie’ – trail across the sky but the plane rapidly disappears as a Typhoon closes in at over 400mph.
The footage might look like scenes from the Tom Cruise blockbuster ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ but this is real life – and is as close to a confrontation with Russia’s military might as it gets.
The unique footage, filmed from a Go-pro camera mounted in the cockpit of the £90million superjet shows how the young pilots are on the front line of defending NATO borders
In some of the footage piece vapor trails from a Russian jet – known as a ‘Zombie’ – streak across the sky but the plane rapidly disappears as a Typhoon closes in at over 400mph
Among the pilots on the frontline with NATO is Flight Lieutenant Ben (pictured)
The aerial footage – exclusively obtained by Web was shot by pilots like Flt Lt Ben, whose full name we are withholding for security reasons.
He is one of the Top Guns based in Estonia and part of a Quick Reaction Force (QRA).
Flt Lt Ben and other pilots from No 1 (Fighter) Squadron and No 1X Bomber Squadron from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland have been at the forefront of the NATO response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Fears that Putin might turn his attention to the Baltic states following the invasion of Ukraine has meant NATO has beefed up its presence with fighter jets and ground troops in Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia.
Six Typhoon single seat fighter jets – which can fly at twice the speed of sound – form the QRA force.
Their mission, named Operation AZOTIZE, is to intercept and escort any Russian military planes that are flying too close to NATO airspace.
Flying from Amari Airbase, about 30 miles from the Estonian capital Tallinn, the pilots of 1 Fighter Squadron are following in the footsteps of those who fought in the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940.
Flt Lt Ben (pictured) and other pilots from No 1 (Fighter) Squadron and No 1X Bomber Squadron from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland have been at the forefront of the NATO response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Flying from Amari Airbase, about 30 miles from the Estonian capital Tallinn, the pilots of 1 Fighter Squadron are following in the footsteps of those who fought in the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940.
The pilots have been on the front line of NATO’s response to the war in Ukraine, regularly carrying out security patrols of the alliance’s border and intercepting Russian jets
From high above the clouds, a Typhoon is pictured soaring above a Russian ‘Doomsday’ plane (pictured right)
Just as the Spitfire and Hurricane pilots did over 80 years ago, their modern-day equivalents still ‘scramble’ to engage their foes.
That means getting airborne as fast as possible in a jet that can hit a speed of Mach 2 – 1,550mph.
Those pilots on QRA duty might be sleeping or relaxing in a crew room watching TV when an alarm sounds.
‘As soon as we hear the siren sound, and it is so loud everyone in the building hears the siren we just run as fast we can to the hangar where the Typhoon is waiting, said Ben.
‘I often sleep in my flying suit and put the rest of the kit on as I get out to the plane. I run up the steps and strap in while I start getting messages about the flight, such as speed and the direction to take.
Just as the Spitfire and Hurricane pilots did over 80 years ago, their modern-day equivalents still ‘scramble’ to engage their foes
Web was invited to Amari airbase to watch Ben and colleagues take part in a practice mission
The Typhoons can travel at a staggering speed of Mach 2 – 1,550mph. Pictured is one of the jets preparing to take off
‘I scribble them down on a pad on my knee and it’s important to get airborne as quickly as possible.
‘There’s usually about six messages all coming in over the intercom, but once I’m airborne it’s time to catch my breath.
‘It is a real adrenaline rush but once you are off the ground things calm down a bit.’
Web was invited to Amari airbase to watch Ben and colleagues take part in a practice mission.
Applying the afterburners to give the jet a turbo boost to his Typhoon soared into the grey, leaden sky at a steep angle before heading off for a joint exercise with an Estonian air force jet.
Within seconds only the orange flames from the engines were visible as the jet disappeared into the low cloud.
Ben said when going at maximum speed the Typhoon can cover an astonishing 20 miles in a one minute.
Middleing the afterburners to give the jet a turbo boost his Typhoon soared into the gray (pictured)
Pictured: RAF Typhoons with NATO planes Number 1 Squadron RAF know as No. 1 (Fighter) Squadron who are based in Estonia undertaking NATO’s Baltic Air policing missions
Ben said when going at maximum speed the Typhoon can cover an astonishing 20 miles in a one minute
Pilots have to be ready to scramble to their jets within minutes as they carry out security patrols
Fl Lt Ben checks his Typhoon before taking off from his base in Estonia
As a pilot on the QRA force it is his job to intercept the Russian jets as fast as possible so they can be identified, and information relayed to ground controllers to ensure there is no serious encroachment.
There is no contact between the opposing pilots, but some Russian pilots have been known to wave from the cockpits, across at their Typhoon escort.
Russian planes over the Baltic Sea are usually flying from an airbase in the city of St Petersburg to Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian province sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania.
‘They have either not filed a flight plan with air traffic control or have turned off their transponders so they can’t be identified – or even both,’ said Ben, who is from Eastbourne, East Sussex, and has been flying the Typhoon fast jet for two years.
‘They can’t fly across the NATO countries so fly along the Baltic Sea and stray close to the borders’ he said.
Flt Lt Ben checks his RAF before taking off on another mission as part of a NATO force based in Estonia
As part of his check, the RAF officer inspects his fighter jets armament of missiles and other weapons
Signs indicated when the jets are loaded with its lethal array of bombs and missiles
‘We shadow them, take photographs and see them continue on their journey.
‘There is no aggression on our part, but the Typhoons are of course fully armed.’
The QRA Typhoons have intercepted 50 ‘Zombies’, including a Il-76 transport aircraft, a Il-20 intelligence gathering aircraft, a TU 22 long-range bomber and SU27 Flanker B fighter jets.
Just over a week ago two Typhoons were scrambled when the jet known as the ‘Flying Kremlin’ flew from Moscow along the Baltic coast.
The TU-214 plane is also known as the ‘Doomsday Plane ‘ as it would be used by the Russian leader should nuclear war ever break out.
The pilot who took the video and photographs of the converted passenger jet told Web it was one of three intercepts he had carried out in a week.
The Doomsday plane would of course be no match for the Typhoon and the pilots of 1 Squadron, the oldest British military flying unit.
Formed in 1878 the squadron has a storied history from flying Hurricanes protecting British troops retreating from Dunkirk to the Battle of Britain.
It was also the first squadron to be equipped with the Harrier ‘jump jet’.
Most of the pilots with the squadron are in their early thirties and, like Ben, grew up with the single ambition of becoming a fighter pilot.
In the air, the Typhoons can travel twice the speed of sound – more than 1,500mph
A view from the cockpit shows how closely the jets can fly together as the patrol NATO’s borders
A view from inside a Typhoon as it intercepts Russian ‘zombie’ planes after being scrambled from Estonia
‘I used to watch the Eastbourne Air Show every year and decided I wanted to fly fast jets,’ said Ben.
‘I do feel privileged to be doing something I enjoy so much.
‘The Typhoon is an absolute dream to fly. Firstly, it’s gifted with so much power. So, you’re never left asking for more which is really quite good.
‘On top of that, it’s a really easy aircraft to fly and that actually allows the pilot as the operator to dedicate more of his brainpower to focusing on operating and conducting the mission, which is really good.
‘As an operator, I don’t want to be concerned about where my flaps are, where my wings are, and what regime of flight and then I can just put that onto one side and just focus on fighting the aircraft. And that’s what makes typhoons so good from a pilot’s perspective
Suited up – Flight Lieutenant Ben shows he is ready for take off in his Typhoon fighter jet
‘Many aircraft must use re-heat to take off, but the Typhoon can go on dry power with no afterburners. ‘
While the jet can go to Mach 2, they rarely break the sound barrier due to the complications it can cause as people on the ground are left terrified by the sound of the sonic boom.
‘We do need special permission to go supersonic. If I were to do it here, I’d helped break the windows in Estonia,’ said Ben, who flies up to three times a week.
The interception of the Russian planes usually lasts less than an hour.
If longer duration flights were needed, this would see a refueling tanker despatched from Prestwick in Scotland linking up with the fighter to allow it to continue its mission without having to land.
Typhoons if on longer missions will have to refuel while in the sky from a tanker despatched from Prestwick in Scotland
The maneuver requires pinpoint accuracy from pilots to line up the jet’s fuel nozzle with a hose trailing from behind the tanker
As well as flying intercept missions, Flt Lt Ben has been based in Cyprus and flown the Typhoon in the US, Bermuda and Israel.
Keeping watch for ‘Zombies’ has been the principal mission, but he has also been flying night-time missions to make sure the airspace around Lithuania remained safe during the NATO summit attended by President Biden.
It has meant up to eight hours of flying in a 20-mile circle with another Typhoon guarding the airspace while the NATO leaders discussed the possible inclusion of Ukraine in the military alliance.
Being airborne for eight hours meant having to re-fuel the jet three times from a tanker.
The squadron’s tour of duty in Estonia ends in the next month when the Spanish Airforce will take over policing operations. The 140 Expeditionary Air Wing comprising of up to 220 personnel from 1 (F) Squadron and other supporting units will return with them.
Then it’s a return to Lossiemouth together with the 140 Expeditionary Air Wing comprising of up to 220 personnel from 1 (F) Squadron and other supporting units.
Ben and other Top Guns will again be on duty intercepting ‘Zombies’ that fly too close to the UK.
They are also tasked with escorting passenger jets that fail to respond to air traffic controllers leaving those in authority on the ground fearful they could have been hijacked.