Brief
Unidentified drones come close to RAF jets over the North Sea
The RAF reported two near‑miss incidents with drones at 17,000 ft during exercises in February, launching multiple investigations.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Two unidentified drones were reported to have come within close proximity of RAF aircraft during training missions over the North Sea in February, Standard reported.
The first incident occurred on 18 February when an Airbus Voyager tanker was refuelling a Typhoon fighter off Cromer, Norfolk; the drone hovered at about 17,000 ft, prompting the pilot to duck. A second near‑miss was logged on 23 February when a Typhoon practising dogfights saw a "black circular object" pass directly overhead.
Both events were logged by the RAF, which alerted police and launched several external investigations. A defence spokesperson said the ministry remains vigilant and has measures ready to respond, while noting that not all sightings are hostile.
Key facts
- The first near‑miss happened on 18 February during an air‑to‑air refuelling exercise off Cromer, Norfolk. (standard.co.uk)
- The second incident occurred on 23 February while a Typhoon was practising dogfights over the North Sea. (standard.co.uk)
- Both drones were reported at roughly 17,000 ft, far above the 400 ft limit for commercial drones. (standard.co.uk)
- The RAF logged the sightings, alerted police and opened multiple external investigations. (standard.co.uk)
- A defence spokesperson said the ministry remains highly vigilant and has response measures in place. (standard.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] standard.co.uk — originally reported as “Unidentified drones in near-misses with RAF jets over North Sea”
