The key facts

  • An RAF Airbus Voyager was refuelling a Typhoon off Cromer, Norfolk, when an unidentified object passed so close that the pilot instinctively ducked.
  • On 23 February, a Typhoon pilot off Humberside spotted a black round object roughly 300 feet above the aircraft.
  • The UK Ministry of Defence reported investing more than £2 billion ($2.67 billion) in air and counter-drone defence.

Two incidents during exercises

Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft had two close encounters with suspected drones during exercises over the North Sea in February, the newspaper The Telegraph reported on Friday. The incidents occurred several days apart during aerial refuelling and a training simulated air combat; both objects were spotted at an altitude of more than 10,000 feet.

First case: the Voyager tanker

In the first incident, an RAF Airbus Voyager tanker was refuelling a Typhoon fighter near Cromer in Norfolk when an unidentified object passed so close that the tanker's pilot instinctively ducked. The commander reported the encounter to military controllers, the outlet writes.

Second case: Typhoon off Humberside

On 23 February, a Typhoon pilot practising air combat with another fighter near Humberside spotted a black round object that passed roughly 300 feet above the aircraft. The pilot reported the sighting to the radar controller overseeing the exercises, who then passed the information to North Yorkshire Police.

Investigations and the Ministry of Defence response

Several external investigations are under way. It remains unclear whether the objects were hostile. A spokesperson for the UK Ministry of Defence said that heightened vigilance and improved detection capabilities have increased the department's ability to identify, record and assess potential drone activity. According to the spokesperson, the UK is investing more than £2 billion ($2.67 billion) in air and counter-drone defence, including the upgrade and maintenance of the Typhoon fleet. The Ministry of Defence added that reports of drone sightings do not necessarily indicate hostility and that the department has response measures in place should the activity be assessed as a genuine threat.