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RAF jets scrambled twice in one week to intercept Russian nuclear bombers
The Daily Mail ^ | 10/28/2010 | The Daily Mailer

Posted on 10/27/2010 9:33:42 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld

RAF fighter jets have been scrambled to intercept Russian nuclear bombers near British airspace twice in the last week, it emerged today. The alarm was raised after the huge Tupolev Tu95 'Bears' were spotted on Monday and Tuesday, flying in a Nato-policed zone close to the UK.

Tornados from RAF Leuchars in Fife were despatched to identify and escort the bombers back to international air space. The incident is the the latest in a long line of cat-and-mouse engagements between RAF fighters and Russian aircraft, as the Kremlin seeks to test Western response times. Earlier this year, it emerged that the RAF's elite 'Quick Reaction Alert' force had taken to the air 64 times since 2006 - at least once a month - to head off Russian aircraft

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Russia; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: aerospace; coldwar2; nato; raf; tu95; tupolev

1 posted on 10/27/2010 9:33:44 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
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To: ErnstStavroBlofeld

Blow one or two of those Russian bombers out of the sky and chances are they would quit sending them up. Obama has shown weakness and the west is being challenged as a result.


2 posted on 10/27/2010 9:45:43 PM PDT by blackbart.223 (I live in Northern Nevada. Reid doesn't represent me.)
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To: ErnstStavroBlofeld
The Ruskies know that the Limeys are on their own.

Good luck with Russia and China, Earth.


Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

3 posted on 10/27/2010 9:54:44 PM PDT by The Comedian (Don't run. You'll just die tired.)
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To: The Comedian

What do you mean yet??? How about STILL!!!


4 posted on 10/27/2010 9:58:06 PM PDT by coincheck (Vote 'em all out!!)
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To: blackbart.223

You would have to set that up by not scrambling a few times, that should be enough to make them decide to dip their toes.


5 posted on 10/27/2010 10:01:37 PM PDT by dr_lew
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To: ErnstStavroBlofeld

While the cats away, mice will play.
Change is coming soon. When adults retake this Country, others will stop testing our, and our allies testicular fortitude.


6 posted on 10/27/2010 10:18:49 PM PDT by Tagurit (Are your pigs fed, watered and ready to fly?)
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To: ErnstStavroBlofeld

This is really going to hurt me...
“RAF’s elite ‘Quick Reaction Alert’ force had taken to the air 64 times since 2006 - at least once a month - to head off Russian aircraft.”
2006, this was before Obama’s time, but maybe the number has increased dramatically since 2008.


7 posted on 10/27/2010 11:17:05 PM PDT by JimmyMc
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To: JimmyMc

It’s not just the “Obama factor”. Britain keeps downgrading its military capabilities since they are strapped for cash. Seems they’d rather keep the entitlement programs and avoid riots like France and Greece, so defense is getting the short end of the stick.


8 posted on 10/27/2010 11:44:01 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: Boogieman

Defence has been slashed less than welfare programmes. Not that I think it is a good idea to downgrade defence spending, especially when we are still involved in a conflict, but lets be fair here...


9 posted on 10/28/2010 12:26:24 AM PDT by sinsofsolarempirefan
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To: ErnstStavroBlofeld

Tupolev Tu95 designed thanks to stolen American technology, i.e.; B-29.


10 posted on 10/28/2010 2:15:03 AM PDT by Islander7 (If you want to anger conservatives, lie to them. If you want to anger liberals, tell them the truth.)
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To: sinsofsolarempirefan
Agreed, and agreed. Everything's being cut - it's that or lose the country. But cutting Defence hurts.
11 posted on 10/28/2010 2:21:53 AM PDT by agere_contra (...what if we won't eat the dog food?)
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To: ErnstStavroBlofeld
"Tornados from RAF Leuchars in Fife were despatched..."

Was that BOTH of their Tornado fighters.....?
(Poor Britain, how far their Air Force has fallen since 1945.)

12 posted on 10/28/2010 4:15:28 AM PDT by Psalm 73 ("Gentlemen, you can't fight in here - this is the War Room".)
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To: blackbart.223

This has been going on for a LONG time. Even when I was in service (1988-1992), it happened. We’d do SIGINT to capture as much data as possible, relay it back up the chain to the NavSecGru.

Business as usual.


13 posted on 10/28/2010 8:24:20 AM PDT by Ro_Thunder (Nov 2nd, 2010 - The adults get home, and are back in charge)
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To: Islander7

Not Really. the TU-4 Bull is the direct desendant of the B-29.Tupolev’s proposal was selected and Tu-95 development was officially approved by the government on July 1952. It featured four Kuznetsov, coupled turboprops fitted with eight-bladed contra-rotating propellers, producing a nominal 8,948 kW (12,000 eshp) power rating


14 posted on 10/28/2010 9:11:25 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
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