Posted on 04/22/2006 5:10:10 AM PDT by RusIvan
MOSCOW, April 22 (RIA Novosti) - Russian military planes flew undetected through the U.S. zone of the Arctic Ocean to Canada during recent military exercises, a senior Air Force commander said Saturday.
The commander of the country's long-range strategic bombers, Lieutenant General Igor Khvorov, said the U.S. Air Force is now investigating why its military was unable to detect the Russian bombers.
"They were unable to detect the planes either with radars or visually," he said.
Khorov said that during the military exercises in April, Tu-160 Blackjack bombers and Tu-95 Bears had successfully carried out four missile launches. Bombing exercises were held using Tu-22 Blinders.
By the end of the year, two more Tu-160s will be commissioned for the long-range strategic bomber fleet, Khorov said.
Both new planes will incorporate numerous upgrades from the initial Soviet models, the commander said. The bombers will be able to launch both cruise missiles and aviation bombs, and communicate via satellite.
Stealth technology?
I highly doubt that the Russians with their military rusting away and falling apart could send planes undetected towords the USA.
--I highly doubt that the Russians with their military rusting away and falling apart could send planes undetected towords the USA.
Maybe since the cold war ended we've got some rusting of our own.
TU-95
TU-160
How would the Lieutenant General know they weren't detected?
And that's assuming the planes actually went into the Arctic zone.
I'd guess that the recently defunct Canadian government sabotaged the NORAD radar systems years ago. They didn't want to participate in any anti-missile systems.
Probably. We most likely don't have AWAC planes up there all the time. The old radar net was built to pick up high-flyers.
This entire article is based upon what the Russian Air Commander has stated, printed on a Russian based site. Dubious information, at best.
We have been tearing the Norad system down for years.
Of course, it also isn't a stretch to consider the possibility that this Russian exercise never really happened.
I'm reminded of the old gunslinger joke. "I'm the fastest draw in the West. Want to see me draw? Want to see it again?"
Only reason I can think of, ad gimmick to sell their wares?
Bingo! Stealth technology is not that difficult, and may have been retrofitted on older aircraft (a skin of radar absorbent material, diffusion screens over turbine blades, etc.). You'd still get them on radar eventually, they'd just get a whole lot closer, maybe within cruise missile range.
Detected, yes. Gave a crap- no.
Assuming, that is, that the information is accurate.
Hide it by turning it white!
This could be the technology the Russians were using!
DEW line closed...? Thought they were automated...
"Of course, it also isn't a stretch to consider the possibility that this Russian exercise never really happened."
Here's how it goes. Moscow sends orders for an exercise to the military base. The commander sees that his pilots, ground crew and security forces are selling off all the parts and getting drunk. Of course he gets a cut. The commander tells Moscow he can't fly the mission, Moscow shoots him.
New commander sends report back to Moscow that mission was a total success and the Americans never knew we were there.
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