RAF pilots and aircrew are being instructed on the most secure method to make use of sleeping drugs to keep away from fatigue.

It follows a file variety of interceptions by British aviators alongside Nato’s japanese border, as tensions with Russia rise.

RAF Typhoon jets intercepted 50 Russian plane and flew greater than 500 hours throughout 4 months of air policing.

Such is the tempo for crews that RAF medics have reissued warnings about using permitted treatment on operations.

The RAF’s senior medic, Wing Commander Felicity Leaming, wrote within the MoD’s Air Clues security journal: “There are instances where getting good quality sleep of adequate duration is not possible.

“Issues on deployment, such as austere and noisy accommodation, changing shift patterns and time zones can all have a negative impact on our sleep.

“In these circumstances (and only in specific circumstances such as Ops and Exercises), military doctors can prescribe medications compatible with flying that can aid sleep.”

Unlike the US Air Force, which permits pilots to make use of an inventory of stimulants throughout the day, RAF crews are typically restricted to Temazepam, to help relaxation patterns, and melatonin, to counter jet lag.

She added: “Both medications require a trial period when the individual is not flying to ensure there are no side effects.”

Wing Cdr Dai Whittingham, chief of the UK Flight Safety Committee, stated: “Taking sleeping pills is not new among RAF personnel.

“There are times when it is impossible to get proper sleep.”

An RAF supply added: “The recent air policing mission resulted in a record number of intercepts.

“The point is not to interfere with Russian aircraft flying in international airspace. It is to show we consider it our business to know what they are doing.”