Posted on 08/22/2007 10:50:33 AM PDT by Freeport
In a scene reminiscent of the Cold War, a Russian air force Tupolev Tu-95 bomber is pictured being intercepted by a Royal Air Force fighter before approaching too close to UK airspace on 17 August.
But for the first time, the aircraft providing so-called quick reaction alert (QRA) cover is a Eurofighter Typhoon F2 from the RAF's 11 Sqn - the unit tasked with leading the type's evolution into a multirole fighter also capable of performing ground-attack duties in Afghanistan from July 2008.
Russian bombers have been intercepted by UK fighters on several occasions so far this year, with their presence reflecting President Vladimir Putin's eagerness to underline Moscow's military capabilities as it stakes claim to Polar mineral resources and approaches national elections to take place early next year.
Previous meetings have been between Tu-95s and RAF Panavia Tornado F3 interceptors, with the latter gradually handing over QRA responsibility for the southern UK to Typhoons from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire. The latest encounter took place over the North Atlantic, according to the RAF.
(Excerpt) Read more at flightglobal.com ...
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.
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
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.
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
Search? An obsolete concept used now only by old last century obsolete FReepers.
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.
Besides...
Tupolev Tu-160 "BlackJack"
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.
The canards on that jet must make it tough to see the ground.
"Contemporary" in time perhaps...but not in technology!!
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.
US congressman Lawrence McDonald????
“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.
Don't bring a knife...........
to a gunfight.......
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!
would it be an insult to them for us to send antique WWII fighters to intercept along with the regular modern fighters?
Isn’t that what is said about some far right society in a conspiracy theory video?
Dang I’m having 70s flashbacks, except that should be an F4-Phantom.
WROOOOOOOOOOOOOONG
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