Russian Tu-142 ‘Bear-F’ drops sonobuoys near Royal Navy’s HMS Price of Wales

Yesterday, the British Ministry of Defence reported that the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group led by HMS Prince of Wales was repeatedly approached by a Russian Tu-142 ‘Bear-F’ maritime patrol aircraft. The incident occurred on the 2nd of July.

The Russian maritime aircraft (related to the Tu-95 strategic bomber) “flew unnecessarily close to HMS Prince of Wales, dropped multiple sonobuoys nearby, and failed to respond on international safety frequencies.”

The MoD denounced the activity as “unsafe and unprofessional.” The Prince of Wales dispatched two F-35Bs fighter jets to intercept and escort the bomber until it departed the area.

The HMS Prince of Wales is currently operating in the Norwegian Sea and is taking part in the NATO exercise, Operation Firecrest. The announcement ended with “The Carrier Strike Group continues to operate with @NATO allies in the High North, reinforcing security across the Arctic and North Atlantic.”

Russia’s fleet of Tu-142 maritime patrol aircraft

The 2025 Military Balance review estimates Russia has two naval squadrons equipped with Tu-142 maritime patrol aircraft. This includes one squadron with 12 Tu-142MK/MZ Bear Fs and a second squadron equipped with ten Tu-142MR Bear J (comms).

While operating in the Norwegian Sea on Operation FIRECREST, the UK's Carrier Strike Group was approached repeatedly by a Russian 'Bear-F' maritime patrol aircraft.

The aircraft flew unnecessarily close to HMS Prince of Wales, dropped multiple sonobuoys nearby, and failed to… pic.twitter.com/LLPgwo2VXA

— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) July 6, 2026

In May 2026, Ukraine released footage of it destroying two Tu-142 patrol aircraft on the ground at the repair plant at Taganrog Air Force Base in Russia. However, these appear to have been long-derelict aircraft towed onto the runway to act as decoys.

Saddled with ageing and out-of-production airframes and wartime attrition, Russia’s strategic bomber fleet is struggling to remain operational. It is unclear how many Tu-22M3s Russia has remaining in service following mishaps and attacks claiming much of its fleet.

The Tu-142/Tu-95MS fleet is considered in better shape, but is also grappling with ageing fleets with no replacements.

The UK/Russian hybrid war

With the exception of putting aside differences during WWI and WWII, the United Kingdom and Russia have been rivals since the end of the Napoleonic Wars. Even before the war (including the 2014 hybrid invasion) with Ukraine, British and Russian relations have been tense, with incidents like the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko in 2006.

A significant flashpoint came in 2021 when the HMS Defender sailed off the coast of Russian-occupied Crimea. A Russian patrol ship fired warning shots, and a Su-24 was reported to have dropped bombs in the ship’s path.

Since 2022, relations have been tense. The worst incident was possibly a rogue Russian Su-27 pilot firing on a British RC-135 Rivet Joint spy plane operating in international waters in the Black Sea. Neither missile hit.

The MoD reported in May that Russian Su-27 and Su-35 fighter jets flew within a few metres of its RC-135 surveillance aeroplane operating in international waters over the Black Sea.

British fighter jets regularly scramble to intercept Russian bombers in the North Atlantic, while the Royal Navy and RAF have intercepted a number of suspicious Russian warships around the UK.

In June, the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich fired warning shots at a British civilian sailing boat in the English Channel.