Posted on 07/30/2010 3:41:16 AM PDT by Clive
OTTAWA - Canadian fighter jets scrambled to repel Russian bombers that made several attempts to probe Canadian airspace on Wednesday.
QMI Agency has learned that two CF-18s took off from CFB Bagotville to intercept two TU-95 long range bombers about 463 km east of Goose Bay, N.L.
Attempts by Russia to test Canadian airspace have been going on since 2007; military and intelligence analysts tell QMI Agency the frequency has been increasing since then, but one senior official described Wednesday's event as "not the usual s--t."
"The response as always was a rapid, effective deterrent," Defence Minister Peter MacKay told QMI Agency.
"They were in the buffer zone," said MacKay, stressing that although the planes did not enter Canada's sovereign airspace, the bombers did come inside the 300 nautical mile zone that Canada claims.
"They did not give us any advance notice," said MacKay, adding that NORAD fighter jets have intercepted between 12 and 18 Russian bombers per year since 2007. After the CF-18s made contact with the Russians the pilots shadowed them until the bombers turned northeast and headed out of Canadian airspace.
The TU-95 bomber, known as the Bear, is capable of carrying nuclear weapons and may have been loaded with warheads on this trip. One military analyst tells QMI Agency the Russians have been known to fly with nukes on board just to flex their muscle and prove to the world they are still a powerful country.
"We certainly weren't aware of what if any weapons were on board," said MacKay.
Canada is in a race with Russia and other Arctic nations to lay claim to the frozen territory that may hold untold treasures.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnews.canoe.ca ...
-
“the bombers did come inside the 300 nautical mile zone that Canada claims.”
How does that work?
Is the Russian Air Force working for Lockheed Martin ?
Gee, it’s too bad the Canadians don’t have obamination bending over for them./s
” The TU-95 bomber, known as the Bear, is capable of carrying nuclear weapons and may have been loaded with warheads on this trip. One military analyst tells QMI Agency the Russians have been known to fly with nukes on board just to flex their muscle and prove to the world they are still a powerful country. “
*For the Journalism Students in our midst —
A perfect example of how ‘journalists’ string together ‘facts not in evidence’ to puff-up a story with unsubstantiated innuendo...
This guy needs to be back reporting Punkin’ Doins’ in Podunk....
“the bombers did come inside the 300 nautical mile zone that Canada claims.”This is the ADIZ (Air Defense Identification Zone) that includes large parts of North America, certain urban and sensitive areas and extends out to 300 or more miles from the coast, It is enforced by NORAD which includes Canadian Forces CF-18s.How does that work?
When referred to in a purely Canadian context, the zone is called CADIZ (Canadian Air Defense Identification Zone).
Aircraft entering an ADIZ without a flight plan or other authorized form of prior notification are subject to interception by NORAD fighters.
I didn’t read ditkiss, and I’m commenting.
Shoot the reds down!
Except, I live near Podunk (yes there is such a place) and we have no use for the “reporter” here.
Not so sure that it’s farfetched about the Russians wanting to flex their military muscles.
They’ve already laid claim to the bottom of the Artic Ocean since it’s on the same tectonic plate as Siberia or some such.
JMHO, but the fall of the USSR hasn’t dulled Russian interest in a possible rematch with the West. V.V. Putin is very, very nostalgic for the old Soviet order.
Thank you! So a nation claims 300nm of airspace and tries to enforce it?
The 300-mile limit is the Canadian Air Defence Identification Zone (CADIZ). It is outside sovereign airspace, but all aircraft are required to contact air traffic control before continuing into the zone. The USA has a similar zone.
“We certainly weren’t aware of what if any weapons were on board,” said MacKay. “
Didn’t the fighter jocks note if the bomber was riding low or what depth that the depth markers on the hull were setting at?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ynY5NvYsZY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5qqfsQGYus
It would be a great day to see this translated into Russian...
Is that Santo Gold? (very obscure reference)
Yamaguchi gold...An equally obscure reference...;-)
She’s got HUGE......... tracts of land.
I assume there's a way for us to know if they're carrying nukes... right?
Thanks - that answered my earlier question...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.