RAF Typhoons Scrambled to Intercept Qatar Airways Flight Over UK
On July 24, 2026, two RAF Typhoon FGR4s (callsigns RIGID 11 and RIGID 12) were launched from RAF Coningsby on a Quick Reaction Alert to intercept Qatar Airways flight QTR52N, a Boeing 777-300 inbound from Doha to Manchester. The interception was triggered after the airliner caused concern to civil authorities, reportedly due to a threat made against the flight. Open-source tracking indicated the aircraft was not responding to air traffic control and failed to begin its descent as expected. The Typhoons, squawking NATO Air Policing transponder codes, escorted the airliner over the Midlands and Yorkshire before it landed safely at Manchester Airport. An RAF spokesperson confirmed the incident was resolved without further detail on the nature or credibility of the threat. The launch was a standard QRA procedure, often triggered by communication failures or unidentified aircraft.
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