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PICTURES: RAF Typhoon intercepts Russian Tupolev Tu-95 bomber
www.flightglobal.com ^ | 22/08/07 | Craig Hoyle

Posted on 08/22/2007 10:50:33 AM PDT by Freeport

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To: rednesss
The incident attracted a storm of protest from across the world, particularly from the United States.

I was working at the Associated Press in NYC the day that happened. I tracked news from early in the morning when the plane was simply "missing" to the time Andropov admitted it had been shot down.

I remember not long after, Don Imus, tore out of his radio studio at WN...BC, took the Soviet flag down from Rockefeller Plaza, and started a campaign to get signatures of people as a form of petition against what happened. He filled up the flag with signatures and sent the flag and a scathing letter to Yuri Andropov. Interesting times, those were. The beginning of the end of Soviet communism.

21 posted on 08/22/2007 11:12:19 AM PDT by SlowBoat407 (There's more than one way to burn a book. - Ray Bradbury)
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To: the_Watchman

Okay, they have propeller planes, we have jets.
And the problem is?????
Maybe they are for making Russian version of that famous American TV show 12:00 High!
(yea, I know. the bombers have missiles on board and can launch for effect)
But prop jobs?
SLOOOOOOOOWWWWW


22 posted on 08/22/2007 11:13:24 AM PDT by 9422WMR (Allah akbar fumar blacktar)
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To: Red Badger; GBA; SMARTY
Prop bombers?........

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1884713/posts?page=16#16

As a general rule, a turboprop is more efficient at the middle altitudes, whereas a jet is more efficient at higher altitudes. The Tupolev Tu-95 “Bear” has contra-rotating propellers (two props per engine, each turning opposite rotations) which bite the air in a similar fashion to the turbine in a jet engine increasing its efficiency. They are an efficient and extremely long range bomber.
The Bears are an older airplane than our B-1Bs or the B-2, but they are actually younger air frames than our B-52s. They may be turbo props, but they are very fast. Depending where you look for info, the Bear H supposedly has a cruise speed of 440 to 550 mph. With a max speed of 575 mph. That’s faster than most of the modern business jets.

Not as fast as a B-52, but much more efficient and great for long range patrol, surveillance, testing defenses, recording radio and radar frequencies, etc. Also good for carrying stand off weapons. They also have jet bombers, including the Tu-160 Blackjack (VERY similar to the B-1B) and Tu-22 Backfire bombers, both supersonic, swing wing aircraft.

23 posted on 08/22/2007 11:14:25 AM PDT by CarrotAndStick (The articles posted by me needn't necessarily reflect my opinion.)
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To: SMARTY

We used to intercept them when they would try to “buzz” the fleet...there was an understanding that they would open their bomb-bays to allow us to confirm they weren’t carrying weapons..
I had a guy looking out the aft blister wave at me and point to a can of Coke..
We both took pictures of each other, waved etc.. Great fun.
BTW.. It has been said that the Bear is SO loud that Submarines at depth could hear ‘em..
Maybe some of our Bubble Heads could comfirm


24 posted on 08/22/2007 11:14:42 AM PDT by Robe (Rome did not create a great empire by talking, they did it by killing all those who opposed them)
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To: AppyPappy

Search? An obsolete concept used now only by old last century obsolete FReepers.


25 posted on 08/22/2007 11:14:58 AM PDT by ASA Vet
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To: Freeport

Econ 101
Russian bombers approach NATO airspace.
NATO fighters engage Russian bombers making them change direction.
NATO fighters consume large quantities of fuel.
NATO countries purchase more fuel on global market much of it comes from Russia.
Russia pockets revenues and builds more bombers.


26 posted on 08/22/2007 11:18:11 AM PDT by Ramcat (Thank You American Veterans)
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To: 9422WMR
Check #23.

Besides...

Tupolev Tu-160 "BlackJack"

27 posted on 08/22/2007 11:18:53 AM PDT by CarrotAndStick (The articles posted by me needn't necessarily reflect my opinion.)
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To: Freeport

Commander of the Carrier Strike Group Five Battle Force Seventh Fleet, Rear Admiral Richard Wren, is disputing statements made by a Russian general who claimed that two Russian bombers managed to conduct a flyover above Guam. Admiral Wren spoke with the media on board the USS Kittyhawk, which is participating in the massive military exercise Valiant Shield.

He told a contingent of international reporters that the Russian TU-95 Bear bombers didn’t even come close to Guam or the exercise. “TU-95 Hotels from Russia were not spotted anywhere,” he strongly confirmed. “We had them on radar contact well north of Guam, 300 miles north of Guam. They flew down into international airspace, which they’re free to do. We operate in international airspace in international waters. In response to that, we launched aircraft it doesn’t matter if it was another unknown aircraft, we launched some hornets we put it on a station a little towards Guam in anticipation of maybe being able to wave at each other - that never happened.

“They got down to, I think, 305 miles. They never crossed Guam, never penetrated Guamanian airspace, as far as I know. And then they turned around and went home.” He also couldn’t say if they aircraft might have been participating in Russian-Chinese wargames.”

The Russian general, Pavel Androv, reportedly told the BBC News service that he the bombers presence in our corner of the world was reportedly part of an exercise to illustrate the Kremlin’s military power.

According to Admiral Wren, the incident did not interfere with the ongoing Valiant Shield exercise off of Guam.


28 posted on 08/22/2007 11:19:07 AM PDT by BurbankKarl
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To: Freeport

The canards on that jet must make it tough to see the ground.


29 posted on 08/22/2007 11:20:13 AM PDT by shekkian
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To: Nakota
>>>The Tu 95 “Bear” has turbo prop engines and is a contemporary of the B-52.<<<

"Contemporary" in time perhaps...but not in technology!!

30 posted on 08/22/2007 11:30:37 AM PDT by HardStarboard (Take No Prisoners - We're Out of Qurans)
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To: rednesss
Yeah, if they can shoot down Korean civilian jets and kill hundreds, down a couple of military bombers and give them a taste of their own medicine.

Korean Air Lines Flight 007, also known as KAL 007 or KE007, was a Korean Air Lines civilian airliner shot down by Soviet jet interceptors on September 1, 1983 just west of Sakhalin island. 269 passengers and crew, including US congressman Lawrence McDonald, were aboard KAL 007; there were no survivors.

The Soviet Union stated it did not know the aircraft was civilian and suggested it had entered Soviet airspace as a deliberate provocation by the United States, the purpose being to test its military response capabilities, repeating the provocation of Korean Air Flight 902, also shot down by Soviet aircraft over the Kola Peninsula in 1978. The incident attracted a storm of protest from across the world, particularly from the United States.

A buddy of mine who used to be an Air Force Intel weenie told me that the Russians shot down KAL 007 because of wanting/needing to kill one of the passengers. He refuses to say anything else.

31 posted on 08/22/2007 11:37:30 AM PDT by Taylor42
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To: Taylor42

US congressman Lawrence McDonald????


32 posted on 08/22/2007 11:40:29 AM PDT by rednesss (Fred Thompson - 2008)
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To: Nakota

“The Tu 95 “Bear” has turbo prop engines and is a contemporary of the B-52.”

But since they are Russian I am betting they are not nearly as well maintained.


33 posted on 08/22/2007 11:43:02 AM PDT by Bogtrotter52 (Reading DU daily so you won't hafta)
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To: Freeport

Don't bring a knife...........

to a gunfight.......

34 posted on 08/22/2007 11:46:19 AM PDT by Bryan24 (When in doubt, move to the right..........)
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To: Robe

Naah.

I just heard the whine of the SSTG’s and Main Turbine. The main feed pumps put out an awful sound. The M-Div chief was always yelling about something.

I never heard a bear underwater!


35 posted on 08/22/2007 11:52:21 AM PDT by montomike (If you didn't find this funny or amusing...have a worldwide riot.)
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To: Freeport

would it be an insult to them for us to send antique WWII fighters to intercept along with the regular modern fighters?


36 posted on 08/22/2007 11:53:49 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: Taylor42

Isn’t that what is said about some far right society in a conspiracy theory video?


37 posted on 08/22/2007 11:55:15 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: Freeport

Dang I’m having 70s flashbacks, except that should be an F4-Phantom.


38 posted on 08/22/2007 12:00:03 PM PDT by NavyCanDo
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Comment #39 Removed by Moderator

To: 9422WMR

WROOOOOOOOOOOOOONG


40 posted on 08/22/2007 12:30:31 PM PDT by A.A. Cunningham
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