Two Russian maritime patrol aircraft repeatedly approached the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales in the Norwegian Sea on July 2, 2026, according to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). The Russian 'Bear-F' aircraft, a long-range submarine hunter, passed at low altitude near the carrier and dropped multiple sonobuoys in its vicinity. The UK scrambled two F-35 fighter jets from the carrier to intercept and escort the Russian planes until they left the area. The MoD described the incident as 'unsafe and unprofessional.'
The HMS Prince of Wales is part of a NATO carrier strike group deployed in the High North to bolster security amid concerns over Russian aggression. The incident coincides with a NATO meeting in Ankara, where members are set to pledge €70 billion in military aid to Ukraine for 2026. The UK has also taken charge of NATO's frontline rapid-response force, designed to deploy troops to global hotspots within days.
Earlier this year, Britain deployed military vessels to counter Russian submarine activity near UK waters, including attacks on cables and pipelines. The Russian aircraft did not respond to attempts to contact them during the incident.