Don't mess with the RAF
Two patrol officers from North Berwick were involved in an unusual incident
while checking for speeding
motorists on the A1 Great North Road. One of the officers used a
hand-held radar device to check the speed of a vehicle approaching over
the crest of a hill, and was surprised when the speed was recorded at
over 550 mph. Their radar suddenly stopped working and the officers
were not able to reset it.
Just then a deafening roar over the treetops revealed that the radar had in
fact latched on to a NATO Tornado fighter jet which was engaged in a low-flying
exercise over the Border district, approaching from the North Sea.
Back at police headquarters the chief constable fired off a stiff complaint to
the RAF Liaison office.
Back came the reply in true laconic RAF style:
"Thank
you for your message, which allows us to complete the file on this
incident. You may be interested to know that the tactical computer in
the Tornado had detected the presence of, and subsequently locked onto,
your hostile radar equipment and automatically sent a jamming signal
back to it. Furthermore, an air-to-ground missile aboard the
fully-armed aircraft had also automatically locked onto your equipment.
Fortunately the pilot flying the Tornado recognized the situation for
what it was, quickly responded to the missile systems alert status and
was able to override the automated defence system before the missile
was launched and your hostile radar installation destroyed. Good
Day..."
