The British military has enlisted the French air force to help hunt for a suspected Russian submarine off the coast of Scotland, according to an exclusive from the Telegraph.

Late in 2014, the Swedish military began searches for a Russian submarine in its territorial waters. Later in the year, Sweden discovered what it thought might be the wreckage of a modern Russian submarine, only to find that it probably dated from WWI.

According to the Telegraph’s report, one of France’s Atlantique 2 maritime patrol planes has been called in to help in the search and has been doing so for 10 days.

The news is the latest in a string of events which have highlighted the strained relations between Russia and NATO. British jets have been scrambled on multiple occasions this year to intercept Russian aircraft.

British Type 23 frigate HMS Sutherland is also reportedly searching, along with a hunter killer submarine.

The UK no longer possesses any maritime patrol aircraft. That might change soon, when the government publishes its Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), according to the Financial Times.

Britain’s Nimrod maritime search aircraft were mothballed in 2010, following a 2006 fire which killed 14 crew members on a Nimrod in Afghanistan. The coroner who investigated the accident called for the model to be removed from operations.

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