Russian bombers approached Sweden's airspace

It happened again, Russia is being aggressive against the Sweden. Today, around the lunchtime, two Russian fighter jets were seen flying very close to Sweden's airspace. Even though they didn't invade the airspace, this is clearly aggression. The planes were two Tupolev Tu-22M "Backfire" aircraft, which are capable of carrying nukes. The planes were flying towards Öland, then they dropped altitude and turned to international airspace. Sweden immediately responded for this aggression by sending two JAS Gripen planes to warn them.

Again, the bombers didn't have transponders on and flew right through the area with international civilian plane traffic. This alone was a threat.

This is the most aggressive encounter between Sweden and Russia for a while, because of plane type. Tupolev Tu-22M can carry atomic or conventional weapons, and they are often used for surveillance. It's weapons have also long range.

Finnish Defence Forces also sent F/A-18 Hornet to Gulf of Finland and did one supersonic flight, but it is unknown if this was connected to those Russian bombers.

Russian bombers caught close to Swedish island - The Local

a reply to: Thebel

Only thing I can say is most all of the countries worldwide fly close to other countries every day, everywhere. It's kinda hard to fly really far-out from other countries borders. Its done all the time.

Flying INTO it without regard is different than normal skirting along its borders...so.....

a reply to: Thebel
In the 70s this happened nearly daily . The Russian Bear bombers would fly very close to restricted airspace. Just enough not to violate and cause an international incident. The US would ready nukes and send the B52s to do the same to the Soviet Union . This happened so many times it became almost a game and then became very , very boring. It was more like "here we go again" This has to stop , I a so tired of being woke up in the middle of the night with this BS.

a reply to: Thebel

It is not aggression!!!

This is a standard practice.

That's like saying was trespassing when I was clearly on my side of the property line.

You can get as close as you want, you just can't cross it.

a reply to: johnwick

Well i guess you don´t have borders near Russia ?

Anyway Russians have been more aggressive ever since Ukraine happened, They have become more arrogant and put commercial airlines in danger by not giving their coordinates and there has been several near misses because of them. Sooner or later it will just happen with that attitude.

List of Close Military Encounters Between Russia and the West, March 2014–March 2015
PDF

originally posted by: dollukka
a reply to: johnwick

Well i guess you don´t have borders near Russia ?

Anyway Russians have been more aggressive ever since Ukraine happened, They have become more arrogant and put commercial airlines in danger by not giving their coordinates and there has been several near misses because of them. Sooner or later it will just happen with that attitude.

List of Close Military Encounters Between Russia and the West, March 2014–March 2015
PDF

I'm an american, they buzz us all the time, they are talking about making some flights into the gulf if mexico now as well, I guess Alaska and the west coast weren't enough for them.

This really is pretty standard though, it happens to america all the time.

England gets it a lot as well.

Hell we are doing it to China right now, because they claim international waters and airspace as their own.

So we fly right through it just to piss them off and let them know they ain't about crap and neither are their threats.

All the while our pilots laugh at the Chinese air controller yelling into the mike "you go you go!!"

a reply to: Thebel

ho hum. yet again like always the Russian aircraft DID NOT ENTER INTO SOMEONE ELSE'S AIRSPACE. so yet again there is nothing to see here. and guess what just about every country that has an air force flies close to other country's airspace. transponders off, or on, it does not matter and is perfectly legal. in fact the US not only does this, but they ACTUALLY DO OVERFLY OTHER NATIONS WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION. all this is, is more grasping at straws for anti-Russian propaganda.

You know almost 10 years ago I went for a job with the RAF.

During all the presentations they gave us, I was told that one of the RAF was doing a lot of was escorting Russian planes away from UK Airspace.

My point is that this has been happening for a long time and its been happening regularly to the point I would say its almost a "non-story"

This is what Russia does, get back to me when they have bombers flying over London, Paris or Berlin, until then.

"meh more Russian planes".

a reply to: johnwick

So you are looking into this scene from other side of the World so how can you say what Russians are doing here, in that other side of the World from you and where these incidents happens almost daily ( not all reported ) nowadays is totally normal when you have absolutely no idea what NORMAL is in here ?

Let´s take a look what Aftonbladet wrote about this
Fast translation

Unusual type of plan
Göran Mårtensson would not comment on which countries it is about but says it varied depending on the location of the Baltic Sea, the Russian plan was.
- They go after all up and then drop some and go home. Swedish side sent two JAS Gripen from the incident preparedness up to ward off and identify the Russian plan, which constantly was in international airspace.
- We considered it interesting that they were there and flew with this aircraft type, in this way, says Jesper Tengroth. The Russian plan was of the TU-22M "Backfire" - a strategic supersonic bomber developed during the Soviet era. Bomb Planet has a very long range and capacity to carry nuclear weapons. "Indicates power status" Supreme Commander Sverker Goranson commented on the event in the Swedish Radio "P4 Extra" on Thursday. He states that the two planes flew "provocative close" Swedish airspace.
- It is a selection from the Russian side, and something that we are seeing relatively regularly. As Russia is reforming so practice is also more complex and show a degree of aggressiveness that we have not seen before, says the Supreme Commander.
Sverker Goranson mentioned that the Russian planes fly with no transponders turned on - which is a real risk of civil aviation in the area. - There is a clear indication that there is a much higher activity from the Russian side to highlight its great power status. They perform more exercises and of course it is a signal to the outside world. And then we must show that we are prepared to protect our democracy and our open society. Trying to influence the Summit Prime Minister Stephen Löfven was informed in accordance with the incident after he landed in Riga on Thursday, where he now takes part in a European summit on the Eastern Partnership. SvD says defense analyst Stefan Call to today's flight might have a connection with the summit in Latvia, which kicks off today.

- You can not ignore the fact that the conference in Riga is an important factor which Russia is certainly different ways to influence, he tells the magazine. Eastern Partnership was formed six years ago on the initiative of Sweden and Poland and aims to bring countries like Georgia and Moldova closer to the EU. Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist (S) are traveling in the United States but also have knowledge of the event. - He was informed when it happened. This is a behavior that we are now seeing more and more in the Baltic Sea, says press secretary Marinette Nyh Radebo to Aftonbladet.

AftonBladet

I personally live near military airport and last year has been more active than ever sending fighter jets in their duty.

originally posted by: johnwick
a reply to: Thebel

It is not aggression!!!

This is a standard practice.

That's like saying was trespassing when I was clearly on my side of the property line.

You can get as close as you want, you just can't cross it.

So the artillery which DO NOT crossed the border but still shooting and firing missiles into Ukrainian soil is OK, because it is just on their (russia) land?

originally posted by: residentofearth

originally posted by: johnwick
a reply to: Thebel

It is not aggression!!!

This is a standard practice.

That's like saying was trespassing when I was clearly on my side of the property line.

You can get as close as you want, you just can't cross it.

So the artillery which DO NOT crossed the border but still shooting and firing missiles into Ukrainian soil is OK, because it is just on their (russia) land?

Are they firing from Russia and landing the rounds in Russia?

If the answer is yes, then yes it is just fine.

Its Russian soil, the Russians get to do what they want with it.

If they fire from Russia and land in Ukraine, that is an act if war.

a reply to: Thebel

All the Russian bombers are capable of carrying nuclear weapons. Unlike the US their bomber fleet is small enough that under the treaty limiting them they can have all their bombers nuclear capable.

The Tu-22M3 is undergoing modernization, making the ones completed their most capable bombers right now.

a reply to: dollukka

No I'm looking at it from international norms the world over.

It is very common for this to happen everywhere on the planet.

I can pm zaphod for you, he is an expert on all things military aircraft.

That is what he did for a career.

I assure you, it is not a big deal period.

They are allowed to fly anywhere they want in international airspace at any time they choose to.

They are not threatening civilian aircraft, because they have radar and know where they are, plus all civilian aircraft have transponders telling everyone where they are.

a reply to: Thebel

If Russia does it to us, we'll be doing the same thing in their airspace. It's the natural order of things that major powers always test each other's borders and technology.

It keeps everyone on their toes and maintains the competitive rivalry between nations.

a reply to: Kandinsky

The US uses RC-135s and EP-3s instead of bombers. The UK got three rebuilt KC-135s out of AMARG that were rebuilt into RC-135W standards.

They used a number of RB platforms in the 60s but grew concerned over the potential for confusion after a number came home with holes in them after encounters with Soviet fighters.

a reply to: Thebel

So, this important newsflash is that Russia flew some planes, legally,through international airspace, were not carrying nuclear weapons, and no boundaries were breached?

Well, it's time to nuke Moscow, obviously. That's teach those pesky Ruskies to be so aggressive.

It's clearly been a long time since anyone has so much as sneezed up there in your area that you've felt the need to post this.

Fortunately, the other posts on this thread have been considerable more interesting.

a reply to: Meduzi

Technically they did violate international rules by not turning their transponder on.

THAT is why we have to nuke Moscow.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Meduzi

Technically they did violate international rules by not turning their transponder on.

THAT is why we have to nuke Moscow.

really??...nuke Moscow??...this is your answer??....talk about losing credibility?...I depended on you for trustworthy info on aircraft, and info on up-to-date air and space projects....

a reply to: jimmyx

It's called sarcasm. Read the post it was in response to.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Sadly, sarcasm is lost around here Zaph - I got it though

As for the OP, seems Russia is ramping up the old Cold War games. Indeed, they are not doing anything "wrong" - aside from switching off transponders - but their actions are designed to do one thing only and that is to test reaction times and responses.

On a side note, there are calls for the UK to "look again" at the Open Skies Treaty we have signed with Russia which allows a limited number of "unarmed, surveillance flights" over UK airspace as a result of their recent actions.