Dangerous encounters

This afternoon an interesting overlap of British and Russian military activity was recorded over the Eastern Mediterranean, just off the Lebanese coast.

A Royal Air Force MQ-9B Protector, flying as RFR7331, took off from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus and headed southeast, where it carried out an extensive ISR mission. The long pattern flown by the unmanned aircraft suggests a surveillance task focused on the area between Cyprus, Lebanon and the Syrian coastline. RAF Protectors frequently operate from Akrotiri, but today’s activity appears particularly extended and concentrated in the same sector where other NATO assets have been active in recent days.

At the same time, a Russian Air Force Il-76MD (reg. RA-78850, c/s RFF908) was also visible in the area. The aircraft had departed earlier from Tobruk, Libya, before making a stop in Latakia, Syria, and then continuing its route back toward Russia. Such flights between Libya and Syria, often operated by Russian military transports, are not uncommon and are usually linked to logistical movements supporting Moscow’s activities in both countries.

The simultaneous presence of a British ISR platform and a Russian military transport aircraft in the same portion of airspace is noteworthy, although the two operations appear unrelated. The RAF MQ-9B remained at all times over international waters.