Tri-Service
Yorkshire Rattled By Supersonic Typhoons
The MoD's confirmed that two huge bangs heard in the skies over Yorkshire came from RAF Typhoon fighters going supersonic.
The aircraft had been scrambled from a Lincolnshire base to intercept a passenger plane that was failing to respond to radio communications.
An RAF spokesman said: "Quick reaction alert Typhoon aircraft were launched from RAF Coningsby to identify an unresponsive civilian aircraft. Communications were re-established and the aircraft has been safely landed."
Air France confirmed that the unresponsive plane had been one of their aircraft but it later landed safely guided by the Typhoon jets.
Air France tweeted from its official UK Twitter account that a radio communication problem caused the jets to scramble.
The message over two tweets said: "Air France confirms that due to a radio communication problem AF 1558 had to be accompanied by two British fighter aircrafts according to the procedure."
"The aircraft landed in Newcastle at 22.20 (LT). Safety of clients & crew is an absolute priority."
It's the second time in under a month aircraft from the RAF's Quick Reaction Alert have been launched and given permission to go supersonic over land.
In April, Typhoons were called upon to identify a civilian aircraft over the Oxfordshire Northamptonshire border, again rattling windows and causing alarm as the fighter jets lit up their afterburners and pushed through the sound barrier.
Sonic booms occur when the air in front of the nose of the plane builds up a pressure front because it has "nowhere to escape".
As the aircraft accelerates past the speed of sound the air escapes in a huge ripple, causing what sounds on the ground like an enormous thunderclap.
It's then able to be heard across large areas because it moves with the speeding plane, rather like the wake on the bow of a ship spreading out behind the vessel.
Powered by two Eurojet Turbofans RAF Typhoons can travel at Mach 1.8 - that's 1381mph or 2222km/h. They're also armed with a number of guided missiles and a 27mm Mauser cannon.
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