US Aircraft Approaching Russian Airspace Makes U-Turn After MiG-31 Takes Off

Sputnik ^ | Oct 6, 2023 | Pavel Lisitsyn

[MarMema]

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US Navy P-8A Poseidon aircraft, which was approaching Russian airspace over the Norwegian Sea on Friday, made a U-turn after Russia’s MiG-31 jet took off, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

According to the ministry, Russian airspace control detected an air target approaching the country’s airspace on Friday, and a MiG-31 took off to identify the air target and prevent violation of the state border.

“The crew of the Russian fighter jet identified the air target as a US Navy P-8A Poseidon base patrol aircraft. When the Russian fighter approached, the foreign military aircraft made a U-turn from the State Border of the Russian Federation. The Russian state border was not violated,” the ministry said in a statement.

[MNJohnnie]

I am not sure why this is news. These sort of flights happen all the time in international waters

The Russians routinely do the same thing off Alaska

[Gunslingr3]

Then it made another U turn. Then another U turn. Then another U turn. Then another U turn, because that's what racetrack flight patterns look like.

[packagingguy]

“Russian fighter”

It’s an long range interceptor designed to defend the large areas of the (then) Soviet Union.

[chuckb87]

“I am not sure why this is news. These sort of flights happen all the time in international waters

The Russians routinely do the same thing off Alaska.”

Because WW3 you know.

[econjack]

Sounds like a prudent move to me.

[MarMema]

Why?

[MarMema]

Maybe because it doesn’t often happen in this location?

Do you have links for the Alaska incursions?

I was not aware of those.

[MNJohnnie]

Routine operations in international waters leads to World War 3. But only when the NATO does it. When Russia or China does the same thing it is no big deal,

Going to need someone to walk me thru this one. I am not following.

[MNJohnnie]

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/russian-warplanes-near-alaska-nato-airspace/#:~:text=The%20incident%20near%20Alaska%20occurred,sometimes%20have%20in%20the%20past.

[Afterguard]

ASW search patterns? ELINT patrol? Routine pilot training? Dunno but whatever the P-8 was doing they do stuff like that every day. The article is more simple minded Russian propaganda nonsense.

[ansel12]

Alaska and Russian flights.

https://www.google.com/search?q=russians+violate+alaskan+air+space&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS1057US1057&oq=russians+violate+alaskan+air+space&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCTE2NzM4ajBqMagCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[TexasGator]

“It’s an long range interceptor designed to defend the large areas of the (then) Soviet Union.”

True. A fighter designed for long range intercepts sacrificing maneuverability needed for close-in air-to-air combat.

[verum ago]

The racetrack patterns are just a way of staying more or less stationary. Probably an electronic/signals intelligence mission- fly as close to Russia as you can without violating their sovereignty, and see what stray communications and radar signals you can detect for later analysis. It's not the Norwegian's fault if the Russians are transmitting signals across the border...

We've done to this to them and vice versa for many decades now. As long as the flight doesn't stray into Russian airspace it's perfectly legal. Sometimes the offended party will send up a fighter to posture back or keep an eye on things, but the vast majority of the time nothing happens and everyone goes home. Occasionally one of these flights will make the news if a fighter jock gets a little too twitchy and makes and a dangerously close pass, in which case the nation flying the reconnaissance mission will usually publicly say something. But usually with these things neither involved nation publicizes the incidents as long as nothing untoward happens, because there's nothing to actually formally/legally object to. Perhaps the best known case of a fighter getting too aggressive was the flight we had off China back in 2001- they actually collided: Hainan Island Incident.

As for the framing of "it turned back after a fighter took off", well, that timing might be technically true, but the real answer is almost certainly it turned back so it wouldn't cross into Russian airspace and give the Russians an excuse to shoot it down. A P8 is a modified 737- it's not exactly fast, or stealthy, and is worth a lot more than a fighter. Not something you'd send on a Cold War-esque mission to penetrate hostile airspace.

[Seruzawa]

Note that the US Navy knows when the Russians scramble a plane and it’s type.

[datura]

You evidently weren’t alive during the Cold War.

[USA-FRANCE]

Sputnik News huh?
That is Kremlin’s official number one propaganda outlet.

[Gunslingr3]

Why?

Why what?

Why do we have recon birds? We use them to monitor adversaries.

Why do we train our crews on their recon birds? So they're proficient.

Or why did you post an article about something that happens almost daily? That answers lies in you.

This stuff happens all the time. It's routine. The copy editor made it sound dramatic, as if the Poseidon was about to enter Russian air space and only launching a 30+ years old fighter saved Russia, or somefink.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Post hoc fallacy in action.

[Chode]

the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

feh...