Naval strike aircraft to be part of Russian Air Force

Ria Novosti ^ | 23/03/2011

[sukhoi-30mki]

Naval strike aircraft to be part of Russian Air Force

Naval strike aircraft will be reassigned to the Russian Air Force by the end of 2011, a high-ranking Navy source told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

"The strike component of naval aviation will be transferred under the control of the Russian Air Force by the end of the year," the source said.

Naval strike aircraft include Tu-22M3 Backfire long-range bombers, MiG-31 Foxhound interceptors, Su-27 Flanker fighter jets, and Su-24 Fencer attack aircraft.

"Black Sea Fleet's Su-24 attack aircraft based in the Crimea under a treaty with Ukraine will remain under control of the Navy as an exception," the source added.

The Navy will also retain control over Su-33 Flanker D and Su-25UTG Frogfoot carrier-based aircraft, Il-38 May and Be-12 anti-submarine warfare aircraft. The transfer of the naval transport aircraft fleet to the Air Force is still under discussion.

According to the source, the Russian navy will soon start receiving MiG-29K Fulcrum fighter jets.

Russia's only aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, is capable of carrying 26 Su-33 and MiG-29K aircraft.

Russia is aiming to finish drafting plans for a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier for its Navy by 2012 and build at least three of the ships for its Northern and Pacific fleets.

[sukhoi-30mki]

[null and void]

Shuffling deck chairs?

[skeeter]

They look like Aardvarks.

[Joe 6-pack]

I think they were supposed to be a rough equivalent of our RA-5C Vigilante...

[GonzoGOP]

The Backfire is a great weapons platform. Can use its speed to get into launch position quickly, fire it's missiles and then beat feet before your fighters can get into engagement range. They are definitely a threat our carrier battle groups take seriously.

Getting a bit long in the tooth thought. But if they have kept the electronics up to date still a very good aircraft.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

“Shuffling deck chairs?”

-

And we’re not?

Our monthly trade deficit with the PRC is $50 BILLION.

[null and void]

And we’re not?

Dunno. I can only see a white blur where the deck chairs used to sit...

[Cringing Negativism Network]

No kidding.

Not only are we de-industrializing our once mighty nation as fast as (both) ends of the political spectrum can fire Americans.

We are squandering our treasure bombing Libya to protect al-Qaida linked rebels, spending billions to develop new oil wells in BRAZIL and destroying our space program.

It’s insane.

[GonzoGOP]

And we’re not?

Nope: Obama cut the military appropriations budget for deck chairs in order to divert resources to domestic spending. And our existing supply of deck chairs had been badly depleted by extended service in Iraq and Afghanistan. This has resulted in a sever deck chair gap between the US and the rest of the world. Obama appears to be putting most of his reliance on our NATO allies for deck chair support. /sarc

[TalonDJ]

They are comsiderably larger than either of those.
139 feet long. The F-111 and the A-5 were only a little over half that. The A-5 was 1.1k mile combat radius where as this monster is 2.4k mile combat radius. It is a serious long range anti ship weapon system and not to be taken lightly. The missles it launches are half the length of the Vigilante and can go 200 miles.

[ravager]

You think? Do check the size of a Tu-22 Backfire.

[cunning_fish]

Not in a same class as Vigilante.
I think a B-1 is an American answer to Backfire.

[Vroomfondel]

ping

[magslinger]

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