Posted on 08/17/2007 7:18:31 AM PDT by Aussie Dasher
RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin sent 14 bomber aircraft on patrols far beyond its own territory today, marking the permanent return to a Soviet-era practice.
Mr Putin said the resumption of flights was a response to security threats posed by other military powers.
“We have decided to restore flights by Russian strategic aviation on a permanent basis,” Mr Putin said at joint military exercises with China and four Central Asian states in Russia's Ural mountains.
“Today, August 17 at 00:00 hours, 14 strategic bombers took to the air from seven airfields across the country, along with support and refuelling aircraft.
“In 1992, Russia unilaterally ended flights by its strategic aircraft to distant military patrol areas.
" Unfortunately, our example was not followed by everyone.
“Flights by other countries' strategic aircraft continue and this creates certain problems for ensuring the security of the Russian Federation,” Mr Putin said.
Earlier this month Russian air force generals said bomber crews had flown near the Pacific island of Guam, where the US military has a base, forcing US aircraft to scramble into the air to track them.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...
Very few here seem to believe it. They see props and think it’s from WWII. They just know that all Russian air craft is junk and/or poorly made copies of our stuff.
Considering on 9/11 NORAD was totally unable to respond to a quick crisis, I can pray their reponse times have improved and they are drilling to respond to Russian bombers.
Nice fix! Yup, for sure.
Didn’t a Tu-95 Bear land at Adak with engine problems a while back? Quite a while.
US counters by deploying 1 F-22. A target rich environment..
You should read Thomas Flemings "The New Dealers War; the war within WWII". It explains how FDR, with strong persuasion from the Communists inside his administration, including his wife Eleanor, entered and fought WWII to save Joe Stalin's butt. Not only did we arm Russia before the war but we fought to save his rear. Get the facts. Read the book.
That was a totally different scenario than they had prepared for, not a fair comparison. No one had ever considered finding and then downing civilian aircraft full of innocent passengers.
Wonder where the Russians are getting the money?
No they see big old bombers with a giant radar profile flying predictable routes and are easy to intercept and down if necessary.
High oil and natural resource prices, plus confiscation of the businesses privatized by Yeltsin. Cash is not a problem for them in the short term.
Take into consideration that they probably spent an entire month preparing these planes and spent a ton of money to make them flyable. As for certifications and capable pilots...they probably just found a bunch of retired pilots...gave them some booze and walked right back into the cockpit to fly. The truth is...if they wanted to maintain a regular schedule and sustain some kind of image...they have to manufacture and put out new fighters and bombers as soon as possible. The amusing thing...is that the west as they buy natural gas and oil from Siberia...are helping to restore the Russian military.
Yup... I bet the average age of the pilots was somewhere between 55-60.
LOL, now that’s funny, thanks for the laugh.
I wonder if any of the old air bases in Cuba are still operational, and can they handle the TU-95’s landings/takeoffs. If they are, the Russians are going to have to arrange to send avgas there by the boatload, ‘cuz Fidel and Raoul sure won’t have enough to service the Bears.
Are you talking about our B-52s or their Bears?
Fantastic shot-I have to keep this one.
Ahhh. Just like the old days.
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