F-22 fighters intercept Russian military planes 55 miles off Alaska

Fox News ^ | 09.20.2014 | Foxnews.com

[KingLudd]

I thought that since Obama was elected, Canada protected Alaska. No?

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Pardon what is probably a dumb question, but do the Russians conduct such exercises hoping to get intercepts by F-22s, in order to get more info about these planes? Otherwise, what’s the point - they have decades worth of info about US airspace detection capabilities near Alaska?

[zeestephen]

Thanks - that’s helpful.

[lacrew]

That was my first thought. Trying to get us to light up RADARs or gizmos on the planes...and generally testing response time.

[Woodman]

Not at all, there are years of missing posts, just ask an old timer. In fact there were posts before registration was required that are long lost down the memory hole.

[thackney]

Otherwise, what’s the point

I would guess to query current response time.

[mac_truck]

It may have been part of a (much) larger military exercise called Volstok 2014 the Russians were conducting in the eastern part of their nation.

[navyblue]

I doubt this would be classified, so I’m just wondering where these F-22’s come from? Is there an air base on Attu?

[Nowhere Man]

Old news. I was doing this sort of thing 50 years ago in what was then called the Air Defense Command. F-94’s F-89’s, F-86D’s. ‘Twas a hoot!

Yeah, where I lived in the Pittsburgh area, we had a Penna Air Nat'l Guard base at Greater Pitt Airport. We had the 112th Fighter squadron there and there was a time we had F-86's based there and then the F-102's. the chief mechanic for the fighters lived two houses down from me and he told me a story where they had to scramble to intercept a plane over Canada. They found out it was a piston engined cargo plane and it was not responding to radio calls. Through hand signals and so on, it was determined the cargo plane's radio was not working but they were directed to follow the fighters to the nearest Canadian Forces base and when the plane landed, they found out the electrical system went out.

[thackney]

I’m just wondering where these F-22’s come from? Is there an air base on Attu?

Most likely Elmendorf near Anchorage. The other Air Force base in Alaska is Eielson up past Fairbanks.

Eareckson Air Station on the island of Shemya (near Attu) was closed as an active Air Force Station in 1994. The airport is still owned by the USAF and is operated for refueling purposes.

[Kackikat]

Yes if you have been here more than a decade, but recent posts are easily retrieved.