Скачать или смотреть Commander British Forces Commodore Ian McGhie on GBC's Viewpoint

The Commander British Forces has downplayed the incident between a Spanish Patrol Aircraft and a British Airways flight last week, describing it as ‘routine business’.

On the Viewpoint programme last night, Commodore Ian McGhie said the communications and co-ordination between all involved was excellent.

He was actually on board the B.A plane.

The CBF said the MOD’s job regarding incursions was to produce a report for the Foreign Office. Seeing as the airfield had both a civilian and a military usage, he said, there were two ways of determining incursions.

He also spoke about incursions at sea. He spoke against the need for a larger naval presence on the Rock, saying the forces he had were ‘fit for purpose,’ although they were constantly under review.

A Frigate or destroyer, he added, would not be able to mobilise in time to deal with an incident.