Posted on 02/09/2008 5:57:03 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster
Russian Air Force bomber briefly intrudes into Japanese airspace
TOKYO, Feb. 9 KYODO
A Russian Air Force bomber briefly intruded into Japanese airspace off the southern part of the Izu Island chain on Saturday morning, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.
Japan filed a strong protest via the Russian Embassy in Tokyo over the Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bomber's intrusion which lasted about three minutes from 7:30 a.m., the ministry said.
Russia, however, denied the aircraft had entered Japanese airspace, Russia's Itar-Tass news agency reported.
Alexander Drobyshevsky, head of the Russian Air Force information service, told Itar-Tass that strategic aircraft missions were carried out in line with a plan and in accordance with international regulations on the use of airspace over neutral waters, without violating the borders of other countries.
According to the Japanese government, 24 Air Self-Defense Force aircraft, including F-15 fighters, were scrambled to deal with the intrusion off the uninhabited isle of Sofugan, about 650 kilometers south of Tokyo.
Japanese authorities warned the Russian aircraft over the intrusion, but it made no response, the government said.
The Russian bomber flew from the Sea of Okhotsk and traveled southward over the Pacific before entering Japan's airspace, the Defense Agency said.
It is the first time since January 2006 that a Russian military plane has entered Japanese airspace. At that time, a Russian transport aircraft violated Japan's airspace off Rebun Island off the coast of Hokkaido.
Russia had previously intruded into Japanese airspace over the Izu Island chain in September 1975.
I am starting to think the Japanese need the Raptor as much as the USAF does, and if the US was smart, it would let them buy it. It would definitely complicate the hell out of the strategic planning of both Russia and China.
This was not a good thing for the Russians to do.
That Tupolev looks like it belongs in an aviation museum. Of course the B-52’s are old too, although they have been rebuilt and given modern avionics. Presumably the old turboprop works okay for what the Russians use it for.
The Tu-95MS are new build airframes. The last came off the production line in the early 1990s. The youngest B-52H is from October 1962. The Tu-95MS has enormouse range for its use as an ALCM carrier. The Russians employ the longest ranged air-launched cruise missiles.
Aren’t the Bear Foxtrots primarily used for anti-submarine warfare? I mean they’re on the same level technologically as the B-36 Peacemaker (looked kinda like a B-29 but had the propellers facing backwards and much longer). Other than for controlling their territorial integrity, I wouldn’t sweat a Bear much. A Backfire Bomber, OTOH, that’s something to worry about—that thing they might as well have done a Stephen Ambrose on the B1 bomber...
“which is why we need to deploy the B3” (sarc)
Well, I guess the Tu-95 is modern, then. It resembles some older aircraft. I notice that the Russians use turboprops for a lot of their bombers, etc. Aren’t turboprops more fuel-efficient than jet engines, if slightly slower?
“Deaf aircrew alert.”
They almost certainly were aware of what they were doing, and were under orders to do it. This was a test...not of Japan’s military readiness, but it’s political readiness. This was Russia sending a message to Japan...”we’re back, and don’t you forget it”.
Oh, yes, no doubt.
The comment was made because the story is that the TU-95 is so loud, the aircrews end up deaf after several years.
http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htnavai/articles/20050215.aspx
We still fly B-52’s.
Russia (Er the Soviet Union) has other bombers that they don’t want the West to see.
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.