United States Department of Defense photograph of an F-8 Crusader intercepting a Tupolev Tu-95 Bear-A/B over USS Oriskany (CVA-34) dated May 25, 1974.
Posted on 02/11/2008 3:45:40 PM PST by Flavius
Edited on 02/11/2008 4:36:47 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
Russian bomber aircraft approached a US Aircraft carrier in the Pacific on Saturday and were intercepted by American fighter jets, a US Defense official said on Monday...
Excerpt. Story continues: YNetNews
Update:
Google AP
Navy Intercepts Russian Bombers
By LOLITA C. BALDOR – 1 hour ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. fighter planes intercepted two Russian bombers, including one that buzzed an American aircraft carrier in the western Pacific during the weekend, The Associated Press has learned.
A U.S. military official says that one Russian Tupolev 95 flew directly over the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz twice, at a low altitude of about 2,000 feet, while another bomber circled about 58 miles out. The official was speaking on condition of anonymity because the reports on the flights were classified as secret.
The Saturday incident, which never escalated beyond the flyover, comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and Russia over U.S. plans for a missile defense system based in Poland and the Czech Republic.
Such Russian bomber flights were common during the Cold War, but have been rare since.
The bombers were among four Russian Tupolev 95s launched from Ukrainka in the middle of the night, including one that Japanese officials say violated their country's airspace over an uninhabited island south of Tokyo.
U.S. officials tracked and monitored the bombers as two flew south along the Japanese coast, and two others flew farther east, coming closer to the Nimitz and the guided missile cruiser USS Princeton.
As the bombers got about 500 miles out from the U.S. ships, four F/A-18 fighters were launched from the Nimitz, the official said. The fighters intercepted the Russian bombers about 50 miles south of the Nimitz.
At least two U.S. F/A-18 Hornets trailed the bomber as it came in low over the Nimitz twice, while one or two of the other U.S. fighters followed the second bomber as it circled.
The official said there were no verbal communications between the U.S. and the Russians, and the Pentagon has not heard of any protests being filed by the United States. Historically, diplomatic protests were not filed in such incidents because they were so common during the Cold War era.
This is the first time Russian Tupolevs have flown over or interacted with a U.S. carrier since 2004.
In that incident, a Russian Tupolev flew over the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk in the Sea of Japan on Jan. 29, 2004. Since then, however, relations between the U.S. and Russia have deteriorated to their worst point since the Cold War, largely due to the United States' plans to put a radar system in the Czech Republic and 10 missile defense interceptors in Poland.
The U.S. has defended the plan as necessary to protect its European allies from possible attacks by Iran. But the Kremlin has condemned the proposal, saying it would threaten Russia's security.
"We are being forced to take retaliatory steps," said Russian President Vladimir Putin, who also warned that a new arms race is under way.
Japan, meanwhile, filed a formal protest with the Russian Embassy in Tokyo after Saturday's incident, saying that one of the Russian bombers crossed into Japanese airspace for three minutes. Russia has denied there was an intrusion.
If people today knew the cat and mouse games that our Navy and Air Force played with their navy and air force back then, they would go pale. I have read and heard some tales from guys who were in the Air Force during the Cold War and they have some hairy stories to tell. I have known a number of ex-sailors who have had tales like yours to tell. The miracle is that these shenanigans did not turn into a shooting war.
Hopefully, but even if we do, a recon bird isn't going to do much more than make 'em dirty their drawers ... Although that might be worthwhile in and of itself.
The Russians are starting to act like the Iranians talk.
Okay ... you’re welcome .. ;)
When were you in the USAF? What was your MOS?
I think I’m with you .. but others
in the Navy say this happens all
the time in int’l waters. What to
think .........
United States Department of Defense photograph of an F-8 Crusader intercepting a Tupolev Tu-95 Bear-A/B over USS Oriskany (CVA-34) dated May 25, 1974.
Never said that we shuld start a shooting war, simply said that we should intercept them earlier.
The obvious thing about that picture (circa 1974) is that they are still flying their plane, but we aren’t.
their weapons abilities,,,that’s given,,,
Northern Iran Launch : ABMs in the Ukraine/Belarus will
protect Moscow just as much as the EU/etc.
“You Have To Let Me Shoot YOU!”,,,(smack~up~side~the~head)
LOL;0)
Half the time we didn't even know it was going on. The Operations guys did some we heard about some we didn't. Generally if things got tense on a carrier you found out quick. My first Captain had been there and done about all including a long stint in Hanoi Hilton. The most upset I ever heard him get wasn't over anything Russia done. It was because we drug anchor in the middle of a straight line storm in the Adradic a half mile off Dubronik and were headed to the beach. When the Captain uses the 1mc {main PA system} to give out orders such as get this ship underway get it underway now all engines reverse one third, hoist anchor and get underway, you know things are deadly serious. Of all the buzzing and games that really was our closest call for the ship while I was in.
Awesome pictures and stories to go along with them
News to the Taliban I'm sure. Or to the folks under those 40 or so JDAMs dropped on about as many "safe house" type targets in just a few minutes.
But be that as it may, the Bears have cruise missiles. One of them very fast. And reasonably long ranged.
Simply said that we should intercept them ealier and I stand by that. The picture you showed does not show a direct overflight at 600m, it shows a flight at a couple of miles and several thousand feet. Which, back when the F-8s were intercepting them, represented a much different scenario because the danger from cruise missiles was not what it was later, or is today.
Anyhow, you clearly have a personal issue as regards me...and that is fine. But I stand by the statement that a direct overflight at 600m is not a good thing.
Paranoia is a trademark of Russian culture. Its part of the national psyche. Ask anyone that knows anything about the Russians. Their history and political heritage are tied into fending off invaders. Some of the more notorious invaders were Napoleon and Hitler in recent history. Before the Europeans it was the Mongols. The Russian culture is much older than the Soviet Union. And their history is littered with bloody invasions. During the periods of their history when they weren’t fighting off foreign armies, they were busy killing each other in bloody civil wars. Russian history is a long story of bloody invasions and extremely violent social upheaval.
Their paranoia can play to our advantage though. I like to think that those in charge know what they are doing and are provoking this behavior with good reason. Based on the shape of our intelligence agencies and upper echelon officers, I’m afraid we are not intentionally seeking this response.
Nice try Pooty.
But the generally accepted rules of the road do make it a hostile act. The ship's crew has no way of determining intent. Thus it's best to give a wide berth to ships, especially warships, of a competing power.
It's short of like a guy on the street pointing a gun at you, "out of the blue" with no verbal or other hostile signals. He's probably not going to shoot you, but then again, how can you know? And can you afford to take the chance that he's not?
To some extent the evaluation of the event would require knowledge of what the ESM systems were picking up. If the Bear has his radar on, and especially if it was in targeting/tracking mode...well that would make me very nervous if I was the air defense commander of the task group.
During hot, medium or cold wars.....this is nothing new....only the Natalie Holloway School of Journalism rising to great heights since the end of the cold war makes everything happening on the high seas look like an act of war and the beginning of the end of life as we know it on this planet.
Leni
But the one circling at 58 miles was not. (probably actually reported as 50 nautical miles and our friendly journalist converted it statute miles, making it overly precise in the process)
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