Here we have a great shot, released by the Ministry of Defence of Britain's newest fighter, the Typhoon F2 or Eurofighter, showing the Russians the door. 

Unfortunately, the Russians, true to their national character, are exhibiting their centuries old xenophobia which will more than likely lead a more closed society and more competition with the West.

The RAF has been forced to scramble its latest combat aircraft to head off two Russian strategic bombers from British airspace.

Russia added to current diplomatic tensions with Britain by sending the two long-range Bear bombers towards British airspace in what is being seen as a deliberate muscle-flexing exercise by Moscow.

It was the first time Russian bombers had threatened to penetrate British airspace since outspoken remarks by President Vladimir Putin last week when he said he had ordered his bomber force to go back on long-range patrols around the world.

The arrival of two Russian Bear-H bombers over the North Atlantic forced the RAF to scramble its Typhoon/Eurofighter for the first time since becoming operational.

The Russian leader made his comment during a military exercise with the Chinese in the Ural Mountains at the weekend. He said he was ending a 15-year suspension of bomber flights, and announced that 14 strategic aircraft had taken to the air from seven airfields across Russia.

The announcement caused irritation in the West because it seemed to reflect President Putin’s growing antipathy towards his Western partners and his determination to show the world that Moscow was once again a power to be reckoned with; Russia’s strategic bombers may not present a real military threat but their presence once again in the skies is intended to underline Mr Putin’s new tough stance, illustrated somewhat graphically by published pictures of him fishing topless.  Read the rest of the story...