QRA Flashcards
What is QRA and how is it orchestrated?
What has been the biggest irritation to UK airspace of recent years?
Russian violation. In recent years Russia continues to seemingly be testing the defenses of neighboring and NATO countries. Since the annexation of Crimea in March 2014 along with the EFP, NATO has increased its air policing missions in the region and the RAF has been a key contributor to that effort. Deploying QRA squadrons twice this year: once to Estonia (Op Azotize) and most recently to Iceland.
What are CRCs and where are they located?
Control and Reporting Centres. Located at Scampton and Boulmer, they have direct contact with pilots at Lossiemouth and pass on the scramble message.
What is NATS and what is its function in QRA
National Air Traffic Service - the UK’s main civil air services provider.
What is RAF(U) Swanick’s role?
RAF air traffic controllers at RAF(U) Swanwick work with their civilian counterparts to ensure the Typhoons can follow the most direct route to their target.
They are embedded within the Swanwick Centre run by NATS, the UK’s main civil air services provider.
RAF Aerospace Systems Operators at RAF High Wycombe and Air Traffic Controllers at RAF(U) Swanwick continuously coordinate the response with the scrambled Typhoon pilots.
How does voyager aid this constant operation?
Extends Capability. An RAF Voyager with air-to-air refueling capability is put on standby at RAF Brize Norton.
Typhoons can be refueled in mid-air to extend their range and endurance.
What is the NADOC and what role does it play?
The National Air Defence Operations Centre (NADOC) at RAF Air Command, High Wycombe collates information from radar sites across the UK and from civilian air traffic and intelligence agencies.
They decide the threat is sufficient to scramble Typhoon jets and pass the order to to the Control and Reporting Centres (CRCs) at RAF Scampton and RAF Boulmer.
What happens once the treat is interrupted?
The two RAF Typhoons escort the rogue north, out of the UK’s area of interest.
Once the threat goes the Typhoons are ordered to return to RAF Lossiemouth.
