Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner

🚨BREAKING🚨 Russian fighter jets repeatedly intercepted a British surveillance plane over the Black Sea during a series of “dangerous” flybys.   A series of aggressive actions last month, revealed today, saw one Russian Su-35 warplane fly close enough to trigger emergency systems on the RAF Rivet Joint aircraft, including disabling the autopilot system. In another dangerous intercept, a Russian Su-27 aircraft conducted six passes in front of the British aircraft, flying within 20ft of the Rivet Joint’s nose. The jets were travelling at speeds of about 500mph. Video footage, released by the Ministry of Defence on Wednesday evening, showed one of the Russian jets - armed with air-to-air missiles - cutting directly in front of the RAF plane. The Rivet Joint aircraft was carrying out a routine flight in international airspace over the Black Sea and was unarmed, which is part of the UK’s work alongside allies to secure Nato’s Eastern Flank. This week, representatives from the UK Ministry of Defence and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office démarched the Russian Embassy to condemn the pilots’ dangerous and unacceptable behaviour. Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: “This incident is another example of dangerous and unacceptable behaviour by Russian pilots, towards an unarmed aircraft operating in international airspace. These actions create a serious risk of accidents and potential escalation. “I would like to pay tribute to the outstanding professionalism and bravery of the RAF crew who continued with their mission despite these dangerous actions. “Let me be very clear: This incident will not deter the UK’s commitment to defend Nato, our allies and our interests from Russian aggression.