Russian Bombers Penetrate N. American Buffer Zone, Intercepted by U.S., Canadian Jet Fighters

DefenceTalk.com ^

[DTAD]

A new U.S. push for greater Russian military openness collided with Cold War habits last week as Russian long-range bombers flew within 15 miles of U.S. airspace off Alaska, Denver Post website reported.

Fully-armed U.S. fighter jets responded, intercepting the two bombers.

The Russian Tu-95 bombers on a training exercise Thursday penetrated a North American buffer zone, said a statement Friday from Maj. Gen. Brett Cairns, operations chief for Colorado Springs-based North American Aerospace Defense Command.

[taxesareforever]

Shoot em down and ask questions later.

[kingu]

Those old turboprops are still flying? Pretty amazing.

[farlander]

Yea that is pretty amazing. They probably saw them about 400 miles out and figured they'd crash before they got anywhere near Alaska. The scrambled the jets most likely because they thought they were lost and needed to get their bearings from someone who has GPS in the cockpit.

[Red6]

"The Russian Tu-95 bombers on a training exercise Thursday penetrated a North American buffer zone"

They are probing our radar and air defense coverage. This sort of stuff has been occurring for years.

[familyop]

Yes. They do exactly that from time to time.

[mkjessup]

Those old turboprops are still flying? Pretty amazing.

Even more amazing is that it was one of those TU-95 Bears that dropped the largest Soviet nuclear device (actually the largest nuclear device ever exploded) in 1961 (this month as a matter of fact) in the Arctic Sea, 50 megaton yield, the device was dubbed 'Tsar Bomba', i.e. "The Emperor of Bombs":

[RusIvan]

Yea that is pretty amazing. They probably saw them about 400 miles out and figured they'd crash before they got anywhere near Alaska. The scrambled the jets most likely because they thought they were lost and needed to get their bearings from someone who has GPS in the cockpit.==

Don't sell them short. They old but soi as those B-52 still flying too:). And those Tu-95 surely has thier own GPS type navigation. And they carry sort of newest cruise missiles which can fly 2000 miles more and pinpont the target.

All this was as for the demostration of the "russian strategic sword is far from rusty and easily could be unleashed" - citation for Russian TV commentator.

[GBA]

"Those old turboprops are still flying? Pretty amazing."

Are they as old as our B-52s? I think the B-52 might be older.

[Sergei_DV]

No, this bomb was called 'Kuskina Mat', and was tested at half of its power because of apprehension that deiterium in environment can burn.

[Tallguy]

Russian defense officials are quoted in the article as claiming that the TU-95 flew 'unobserved' for a considerable part of its mission. I presume this means that they weren't 'painted' by a tracking radar. OTOH, there's no way they could know whether an F22 was lurking -- and they do have some Raptors up at Elmendorf.

[Lurking in Kansas]

Russian defense officials are quoted in the article as claiming that the TU-95 flew 'unobserved' for a considerable part of its mission. I presume this means that they weren't 'painted' by a tracking radar. OTOH, there's no way they could.

LOL, exactly. "Unobserved", yeah, right, that's what he thinks. LOL.

[TankerKC]

The H Model Buffs we are flying now were probably built in the early to mid 60's.

[mkjessup]

No, this bomb was called 'Kuskina Mat', and was tested at half of its power because of apprehension that deiterium in environment can burn.

BZZZT. Wrong answer. It was 'Tsar Bomba, 31 Oct '61, 50 megatons.
Check it out for yourself:

http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Russia/TsarBomba.html

[Raymann]

No biggie, they do it to us, we do it to them, keeps everyone on their toes.

[vertolet]

Tu-95 Bear (amazing video, YouTube)