UK Air Force to Be Relocated to Civilian Airports Amid Tensions With Russia, Reports Say

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - UK air force aircraft will be relocated to regional civilian airports for the first time since the Second World War allegedly due to increased tensions with Russia amid its military operation in Ukraine, the Daily Express news agency reported, citing senior sources.

In particular, Eurofighter Typhoons and F-35 fighters, based in Scotland and in the British counties of Norfolk and Lincolnshire, will be re-arranged into small groups and deployed on the outskirts of several regional airports with runways capable of accommodating the aircraft, according to the media outlet.

The measure is reportedly aimed at ensuring effective resistance of the quick reaction force to attacks on their bases.

Representatives of the UK Defense Ministry have visited regional civilian airports several times over the past year to find out how many aircraft, back-up facilities and ground crews can be deployed there in an emergency situation, the newspaper reported.

The relocation of combat aircraft will reportedly take place as part of the Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept designed to provide the country's air force with an opportunity to operate from a greater number of bases and thereby increase their flexibility and reliability.

The ACE concept was reportedly developed for over a year. It was initially meant to be applied in potential hot spots across the world, including the Indo-Pacific region, the Middle East and NATO's eastern flanks in Europe, but was soon accelerated and extended to the entire UK territory after Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine, the media outlet reported.

On February 24, Russia began a military operation in Ukraine responding to calls for help from the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. Western countries responded by imposing comprehensive sanctions against Moscow while also ramping up their military support for Kiev.