Two mysterious flying objects were spotted very close to a British Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft. Both events took place over the North Sea in February 2026, just five days apart. In one incident the object passed an aircraft flying at an altitude of about 17,000 feet. He was so close that the pilot of the plane unconsciously lowered his head. In another incident, a fighter jet pilot saw a black round object pass over his plane.

According to a report in The Telegraph, both incidents were reported to British authorities. Investigation is also going on. However, it is not yet confirmed whether these objects were drones or from another country. In both cases these objects were not even visible on radar.

First incident: An object passed over the plane at 17 thousand feet.

On 18 February 2026 an RAF Airbus Voyager aircraft was mid-air refueling a Typhoon fighter jet off the coast of Cromer, Norfolk. Meanwhile, the pilot saw a small, drone-like object passing over the plane. The pilot asked the radar controller on the radio if he could see anything on the screen. The controller said nothing like that was visible on the radar. According to the pilot, the object moved from east to west and passed about 100 to 150 feet above the plane.

Voyager’s pilot later said that the object was so close that he got scared and lowered his head. The pilot of the Typhoon who was refueling also saw the object. However, Voyager’s pilot later admitted that he could not say for sure that it was a drone. It could be a balloon or something like that.

Another incident: a black object that looked like a car tire.

Another incident took place on February 23. A Typhoon fighter jet was practicing air combat with another aircraft about 30 miles off the coast of Humberside in the North Sea. The pilot then saw a black round object, shaped like a car tire. According to the report, the object passed about 300 feet above the plane. The pilot told the radar controller that the object was moving east at an altitude of about 12,500 feet. North Yorkshire Police were also informed about the incident.

The RAF justified the pilots’ actions in both cases. A local investigation of the second incident revealed that the object was not visible on radar and could not be identified on radio contact at the time of the incident. So its reasons are not known.

400 feet limit, so what was the thing doing thousands of feet up?

The normal legal height limit for flying normal drones in Britain is 400 feet, which is about 120 meters. Normal drone flights must stay within these limits, according to Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority rules. In comparison, in the first incident the object was at about 17,000 feet, while in the second incident the fighter jet was flying at an altitude of about 12,000 to 12,500 feet. This difference raises the question of what these objects were. However, height alone does not prove that they were under the control of a country’s military or intelligence agency. In both cases, officials have not identified the object.

Is there a connection to Russia’s espionage activities?

Incidents of drone sightings around military bases in Britain and Europe have also previously come to light. According to a July 2026 report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), 144 incidents involving drones were reported between August 2024 and February 2026 in 12 NATO member states and Ireland. This includes drones flying over military bases.

The report analyzed that Russia may have played a role in these activities and that a fleet of Russian oil tankers known as the Shadow Fleet may have been used. These tankers are involved in oil trade despite sanctions. According to the report, some of the ships may have been used to launch drones, recover them or send signals. However, this analysis does not prove that these two British objects are related to Russia.

Mysterious things were also seen in America

A few weeks after the events in Britain, there were reports of sightings of an unidentified drone near the Fort McNair military base in Washington, DC, USA. Senior officials of the American government live on this base.

Earlier, drone sightings were also reported at US military air bases in Norfolk and Suffolk, Britain. Defense experts at the time linked them to a Russian ship off the coast. But no connection has been established between these incidents and objects seen near RAF planes in February.

In the year 2023, a high-flying Chinese balloon was also seen over America. He was killed on the orders of then President Joe Biden. American officials feared that the balloon had been fitted with sensors to gather intelligence. The Pentagon later said the Chinese balloon was part of a larger surveillance program. China called it a weather balloon.

How prepared is Britain’s security system?

Britain’s Ministry of Defense said that improved surveillance and object recognition technology had increased its ability to register and assess suspicious drone activity. The ministry also talked about investing more than £2 billion in comprehensive air defense and anti-drone technology. It includes expenditure on repair and maintenance of Typhoon aircraft.

According to the ministry, not every drone sighting can be considered enemy action. But if an activity is assessed as creating a risk, steps can be taken to deal with it. The ministry did not share any specific information about these two incidents.