Russian bombers getting closer to US: American commander

Yahoo | AFP ^ | 8/15/07

[LibWhacker]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - - Long-range Russian bombers are flying more often and closer to US territory, a top US commander said Tuesday, as Moscow made its latest show of military might with exercises over the North Pole.

General Gene Renuart, Commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and US Northern Command, the agencies charged with protecting US and Canadian airspace, said that US forces would continue to monitor the activity.

"Over the last few months the Russian air force has been flying a little bit more than we've seen in the past; certainly they're ranging farther than they have in the more recent past," Renuart said in a statement.

"NORAD has intercepted them out over international waters, near Alaska, and the command continues to monitor all of their long range bomber flight activity, even today," he added.

His comments came as Moscow announced that its strategic bombers had begun exercises over the North Pole and just a week after Russian planes flew within a few hundred kilometers (miles) of a US military base on the island of Guam.

The nuclear-capable bombers in the five days of exercises starting Tuesday were to practice firing cruise missiles, navigation in the polar region and aerial refueling maneuvers, the Russian air force said in a statement.

One Russian air force officer, who asked not to be identified, told AFP he expected US interceptors would make their presence felt during the exercises.

"It is a traditional practice for military pilots to see foreign pilots come up to meet them and say hello," he said. "The United States are aware of our exercise," he added.

Last week, several Russian strategic bombers flew over the Pacific to near Guam and, according to a Russian general, exchanged grins with US fighter pilots.

The incident capped a summer in which President Vladimir Putin has sought to project power far and wide, building on a rearmament programme fueled by oil and gas revenues.

"At every opportunity Russia is showing its return to power, including military. It's a demonstration for two audiences -- domestic and for the rest of the world," Moscow-based analyst Alexander Goltz told AFP last week.

The long-distance flight by the strategic bombers, impossible for years because of severe under-funding, also recalled an incident in July when bombers deployed near Scotland and Norway during a diplomatic row with Britain.

And it's not just in the skies that Russia wants the world to take notice.

On August 2 Russian explorers descended 4,261 meters (13,980 feet) under the Arctic to plant a flag on the sea bed and demonstrate in a theatrical fashion Moscow's contested claim to the mineral-rich territory under the North Pole.

The following day, the navy's chief of staff suggested reestablishing a full-time Russian naval presence in the Mediterranean for the first time since the Soviet era.

Meanwhile the ground army, which was badly mauled in more than a decade of fighting Chechen rebels, is getting new equipment and improved training.

"For the Kremlin it's very important to retain at least one area where we equal the United States -- and we are adamant about showing this," Goltz said.

Russia's generals deny they are up to anything sinister and Russian political commentator Yuliya Latynina said there was nothing to fear from the recent muscle-flexing.

"Thank God. We are showing our strength with bombers, the North Pole flag, et cetera, but we are not making war," she said.

[LeoWindhorse]

time to demonstrate our new airborne lasers

[Ronin]

...fueled by oil and gas revenues....

Does anyone know if the Russians have paid back all the dough that we pumped into the country when it came apart at the seams after the cold war?

If they can afford all this saber rattling, it’s obvious that they have the money to repay a few loans.

[mkjessup]

Let’s start sending B-2 Stealth strategic bombers on random missions to suddenly show up right on the doorstep of the old Russian bear.

You know, ‘just to say hello’. :)

[Spktyr]

No. That might give them too good a look at them.

Since they’re sending over their Bears and Backfires, let’s show them the originals - how about a flight of B-1Bs going supersonic on a low-level pass over the Kremlin? Or a visit to Kamchatka’s bases by high altitude B-52s?

[USNBandit]

Seems like a bunch of money to spend when we are fighting another enemy.

Why don’t we outsource that mission. Anybody have Mathias Rust’s contact information?

[Question_Assumptions]

time to demonstrate our new airborne lasers

Are you talking about the 747s or the F-35s?

[LeoWindhorse]

we should have let the Germans totally crush Stalin in the 40’s
This is what we get for Lend - Lease....
nos vedaniya

[SaltyJoe]

It’s good that Russia has an emerging national identity not built on fears of “capitalists out to get us”. It’s also good that these old (very old) bombers are no real threat except to themselves unless they’re well maintained. It’s good that Russians can maintain these old (very old) bombers in a way that they’re still flyable—they must be damn good and resourceful mechanics!

I hope that the pilots use a general “security call” on a hailing and distress frequency to let all others know that they’re in the area and that they relay a brief mission of why they are there. In other words, “Hello all stations on this frequency, this is the classic air vintage use to be a state of the art military machine now being used as an arctic air explorer Russian aircraft at this altitude flying this course at this speed. We’re taking pictures of ice masses looking for a place for northern shipping routes and exploration (thank God for global warming). And we may drop our national flag at coordinates latitude/longitude. If you have a chance to snap pictures of us, please send them to my family’s email address so they can see what daddy’s up too. Dasvadanya.”

I’m glad that Russians are taking advantage of Arctic offshore oil. That gives us Americans a reason for taking ANWR oil seriesly. What’s taking so long? Will we have to wait until Chaves pushes oil over $100 a barrel?

Isn't this what Bush and Putin were planning in their private talks? They're getting us interested in offshore exploration to overcome the world's dependency on hostile oil providers.

[shekkian]

I learned during one of my college courses that after V-E Day General Patton wanted to invade Russia. He had the support of all of Europe and he could have swept aside the Soviet Army and marched straight into Moscow, but Truman said no.

[longtermmemmory]

Isn’t interesting that the hollyweird programming will play “the day after” for cold war peace at any price hysterics, HOWEVER the miniseries “Amerika” about a USSR invasion of the USA is never replayed.

[timer]

Yeah, like the movie : RED DAWN

[timer]

...., but we are not making war, she said....YET

[GBA]

Their “old (very old)” bombers are newer than our B-52s.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

I’m glad Truman said no. We don’t need to be conquerers.

[AppyPappy]

I doubt that. The Brits were tired of fighting and the Russians had an endless supply of men, tanks and planes. When the Russians built stuff, they built LOTS of stuff. Meanwhile, we were still fighting in the Pacific.

[Dilbert56]

All of sudden we hear about 300 mile “brushes” with Guam and now this. Curious. Is someone threatening the F-22 program?

[OKSooner]

"That gives us Americans a reason for taking ANWR oil seriesly."

Glad to see that you're spelling correctly in context. That's a hugh indicator of your Freeper literacy.

[jslade]

If they can afford all this saber rattling, it’s obvious that they have the money to repay a few loans.

I wonder if they have even paid us back for WW2?

[HereInTheHeartland]

“after V-E Day General Patton wanted to invade Russia. “

Rent “Patton”. It’s a good scene in the movie.