TU-95
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.
Ping!
Bush’s fault. (no reason, it’s just becoming a habit)
Deaf aircrew alert.
That is an ugly airplane... sorry couldn’t help myself!
They are so noisy, we can track them on SOSUS arrays.
If the Japanese had the same air defense system as the Syrians, they might never have known it was there. But lucky for them, they bought their’s from us rather than from the Russians.
In God We Trust.....Semper Fi!
JASDF scrambled 22 aircraft.
They were ready.
oooooohhhhhhhhh.........a stong protest! That’ll show ‘em!
Bear in the air!
No accident here. Bear F’s are routinely used for SIGINT and probing operations.
Japan has simply adopted the response (or lack thereof) that all western nations, including Israel, currently employ when they are dealing with a nation state. There would possibly be a more forceful response if the transgressor was a disorganized bunch of ragheads. Maybe.
24 fighters scrambled? It must have been in their airspace for a long time. I’m not sure we could scramble 24 fighters in less than an hour. Actually we probably could now, but before 9-11, it would have been a stretch.
Damn Vladimir, come left a few degrees and pass the Vodka!
GO JAPAN!!!
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