No nukes for Russian bombers in Venezuela

AP via WP ^ | September 11, 2008 | Mike Eckel

[Schnucki]

MOSCOW -- Russia on Thursday downplayed the two strategic long-range bombers that flew to Venezuela in the first such flight since the Cold War, saying the bombers carried no live weapons _ nuclear or otherwise _ and would return to Russia next week.

The bombers arrived in South America ahead of planned joint military maneuvers between Russia and Venezuela _ maneuvers that appear to be a tit-for-tat retort to the United States for sending warships to deliver aid to U.S.-allied Georgia following last month's war.

Russian analysts said it was the first time strategic bombers have landed in the Western Hemisphere since the Cold War. The foray, and the coming military exercises with an avowed U.S. enemy, are likely to strain the already tense relationship between Moscow and Washington. ad_icon

Russian air force Maj. Gen. Pavel Androsov said in televised comments that the Tu-160 bombers were carrying only test missiles.

He said the jets would conduct several test flights over neutral waters then return to Russia on Monday. That indicates that the jets would not participate in military exercises that Venezuela and Russia plan to hold in the Caribbean Sea sometime this year.

The deployment _ which will include a naval squadron and long-range patrol planes _ is expected to be the largest Russian naval maneuvers in the Caribbean and perhaps the Western Hemisphere since the Cold War.

President Dmitry Medvedev said he had ordered the Tu-160s to make the flight at the invitation of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who has expressed interest in flying the massive bombers.

"We long-range pilots are responsive people. If they kindly ask us and if we have permission, we will fly him safely and will show him the Caribbean Sea from an altitude of the operating ceiling," Androsov said.

[Schnucki]

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry tried to quash speculation that Russia was establishing military bases in South America.

[Texas Eagle]

The bombers arrived in South America ahead of planned joint military maneuvers between Russia and Venezuela _ maneuvers that appear to be a tit-for-tat retort to the United States for sending warships to deliver aid to U.S.-allied Georgia following last month's war.

Oh? Well, just for the sake of consistency, shouldn't we go ahead and invade Venezuela?

[rdl6989]

Yes, next question.

[NoLibZone]

We at the GOP wish to thank the KGB and Chavez for this timely display of just why we can’t have a peacenik as president.

And another, that says he’s is not the best for the job, as the VP.

[valkyry1]

Russia got Pwnd by Hugo Chavez

[roadcat]

Oh? Well, just for the sake of consistency, shouldn't we go ahead and invade Venezuela?

Is there anything worth looting and sending back to the mother country?

[Texas Eagle]

Is there anything worth looting and sending back to the mother country?

I hear they got oil.

[FredZarguna]

No nukes for Russian bombers in Venezuela

Awwwwww please? Can't we just drop ONE nuke on the bombers for the sake of the collateral damage?

[roadcat]

Okay. I was thinking about us looting those two strategic long-range bombers. Did we get our hummers back?

[Rome2000]

Putin and Chavez are obviously on the RNC payroll.

[cyberslave]

TU-160

At first I thought that Russia had sent some of the elderly Tupolev "Bear" turbo prop bombers to Venezuela, but these aircraft are the equivalent of our B1s. This is a highly provocative act as the Soviets used to say. It most certainly is in violation of the spirit if not the letter of previous American/Soviet agreements. Most certainly, I believe that it violates the Khrushchev-Kennedy accords of 1962 involving the placement and removal of strategic systems from Cuba and the Western Hemisphere.

That being the case, we should not only invade Venezuela and Bolivia, but also Cuba.

Unfortunately, Bush seems to be in a sleep state. Perhaps this is a result of the elections, but at some point we are going to have to respond to these Russian provocations.

If we are unwilling to remove the governments in Venezuela, Bolivia, and/or Cuba then we must deploy strategic systems to Georgia. The 1962 Soviet-American accords provided for the removal of American mid-range ballistic missiles from Italy and Turkey which had "irked" the Kremlin. If they've deployed strategic systems to the Western Hemisphere we should, must, deploy such systems to Georgia.

Therefore, Bush should,but most likely he will not, immediately deploy our B1s or FB-111s to Georgia with "test" missiles on them.

[truemiester]

I have no doubt they had an escort, along the coast of the US by our fighters, for “their protection”.

[truemiester]

Big honking bomber with only 1/3 the capability of the Bone (B-one). Limited Jamming and penetration aides. Mostly a long range target.

“Rodger Dagger one, you are cleared in hot on your target. Good hunting.”

[Bon mots]

They should put me in charge of the CIA. They forgot how to be devious. They have soccer moms for spies who do nothing but blow their cover so they can blame it on Republicans.

By now, we would have developed a rail gun capable of shooting frozen seagulls at high speed from an underwater platform.

A couple of those babies would bring down a jet and upon examination it would be learned that the jet hit a bird somehow.

You could shoot down a dozen planes a year and nobody would be the wiser. Save it for the pesky high-profile ‘cold’ war tactics.

It would be hugely embarrassing for Pootie-poot if his two B-1skis crashed from hitting a couple of seagulls in Venezuela.

It would be hilarious too.

[Caipirabob]

Doveryai, no proveryai.

[Caipirabob]

I have no doubt they had an escort, along the coast of the US by our fighters, for “their protection”.

Not that they'd know, until they required assistance landing...wherever, and quite suddenly at that.

[Kickass Conservative]

Did those Ruskies buy any Carbon Credits for the flights?

All that way carrying FAKE missles? What's up with that?

Don't they know Global Warming is the biggest threat to mankind? Somebody better make the 3 AM call to Gore.

[cyberslave]

Thumbnail on Tupolev TU-160

* Crew: 4 (pilot, co-pilot, bombardier, defensive systems operator)
* Length: 54.1 m (177 ft 6 in)
* Wingspan:

o Spread (20° sweep): 55.70 m (189 ft 9 in)
o Swept (65° sweep): 35.60 m (116 ft 10 in)

* Height: 13.10 m (43 ft 0 in)
* Wing area:

o Spread: 400 m² (4,310 ft²)
o Swept: 360 m² (3,875 ft²)

* Empty weight: 110 t (242,000 lb)
* Loaded weight: 267 t (590,000 lb)
* Max takeoff weight: 275 t (606,000 lb)
* Powerplant: 4× Kuznetsov NK-321 turbofans

o Dry thrust: 137 kN (30,900 lbf) each
o Thrust with afterburner: 245 kN (55,100 lbf) each

Performance

* Maximum speed: Mach 2.05[21] (2,220 km/h, 1,380 mph, 1,200 knots) at high altitude
* Range: 17,400 km (9,400 nm, 10,800 mi) unrefueled
* Combat radius: 10,500 km (5,670 NM, 6,500 mi)
* Service ceiling 15,000 m (49,200 ft)
* Rate of climb: 70 m/s (13,860 ft/min)
* Wing loading: 743 kg/m² with wings fully swept (152 lb/ft²)
* Thrust/weight: 0.37

Armament

* 2 internal bays for 40,000 kg (88,200 lb) of ordnance, options include:

o 2 internal rotary launchers each holding 6× Raduga Kh-55 cruise missiles (primary armament) or 12× Raduga Kh-15 short-range nuclear missiles

Subsonic L/D is 18.5-19, while supersonic it is above 6.

Comparable aircraft

* B-1 Lancer
* Tu-22M3
* Sukhoi T-4
* XB-70 Valkyrie

[Anti-Bubba182]

Putin can keep screwing around until most foreign capital leaves Russia and the liquidity shortage gets worse.