Russian Bomber Escorted From Alaska Coast

CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Two U.S. Air Force F-15s escorted two Russian Bear long-range bombers out of an air exclusion zone off the coast of Alaska, U.S. military officials said Wednesday.

Novosti

MOSCOW, November 12 (RIA Novosti) -- Two Russian Tu-95 Bear strategic bombers that carried out a routine patrol flight over the Pacific Ocean were shadowed by 'regular' NATO fighters, the Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

Two versions of the same story. In Russia, this is big news, here in the US, hardly a peep! This is one of the most read stories on Novosti, but it's buried on the backpages here in the US!

Speaking from personal knowledge (I'm Russian by birth American by love of "freedom"). Russian's have some huge balls!!! It most likely was just an accident but Russia loves strutting their stuff. The fact that we(America) are so close to Russia and that their are not more incidents like this is amazing. MAD assures us that we have nothing to worry about from a couple of Russian bombers...What's the worst that they could do? Nuke a couple Alaskan cities...Oh No Don't Melt Our Snow!!! (Apology for those in Alaska. I meant no offense)

LifENcircleS

Just about 20 min ago I read this...

RUSSIAN BOMBERS’ SECRET UK MISSIONS ‘NOT A FRIENDLY ACT’

BRITISH passenger jets are being endangered by long-range Russian bombers flying secret monthly missions around UK skies, the Government has warned.

The Ministry of Defence fears a catastrophic collision between civilian airliners and Russian “Bear” bombers, which have been heading towards Britain without notifying air traffic controllers.

The escalating risk is so serious that RAF fighters have been scrambled 10 times this year, and on 16 further occasions since 2007.

On each one, Tornado and Typhoon pilots made contact with Russian counterparts as civilian jets prepared emergency diversions to standard flight paths.

The ageing Russian Tupolev-95 bombers are believed to take off from bases near Archangel in Russia then fly at 25,000ft over the North Sea and travel as far as Hull and Lowestoft, testing and tracking British defence echanisms.

Read Rest HERE

Opps I just put that exact article into a new post in the news section...
Here
Sorry I should have posted it here first...

LifENcircleS

Originally posted by LifENcircleS
It most likely was just an accident but Russia loves strutting their stuff. The fact that we(America) are so close to Russia and that their are not more incidents like this is amazing.

There was no accident. The Russian bombers never violated US airspace. The Alaska air exclusion zone is not internationally recognized, and is in fact partly in international airspace. Russia does not have to abide by it, and US can't really do anything about it if the intercept remains in international airspace.

Don't think that these airforce crews are a bunch of drunks who lost directions. Their training exercises are carefully planned out, and they do no cross airspace borders.

This happens ALOT more than the media or Air Force wants to admit. But they're also constantly pushing into Russia's air-space in return.

Its a game they play!

reply to post by maloy


I do agree with you. These are highly trained individuals and I never said anything to the contrary. It is all a game and the U.S. is far from innocent!!! I only find it interesting how when the U.S. does something like this it's ok but when the "EVIL RUSSIANS"(American saying I learned in my time here) do it then all the sudden the Russians are the bad guys. It is B.S. that Russians get such a bad rap when America is without a doubt flying over Russia right now as we type...

LifENcircleS

Thank God Palin was out with her binoculars!
I will sleep better tonight knowing she is on watch.

Originally posted by Ziltoid_the_Omniscient
Thank God Palin was out with her binoculars!
I will sleep better tonight knowing she is on watch.

HAHAHAHAHAHA

reply to post by LifENcircleS


This happens all the time, and in most instance it is not brought to media's attention by either side. Occasionally politicians want to exploit the information for political reasons, and recently those politicians happen to be on NATO's side, especially in UK (as in "oh no the Commies are coming, lets throw bundles of cash at our military contractors to defend out freedom"). As far as the airforces of both sides - they don't pay much attention to incidents like this. All it is, is an opportunity for pilots from both sides to get some flight hours under their belt, and more often than not they are happy about it.

[edit on 14-11-2009 by maloy]

Cat and mouse...

In a strange way I'm kind of glad to see the Russians back out doing their thing. A few months ago the Russian navy subs were out and about. Being slightly older than most here at ATS. It reminds me of the Cold War days. No Sweat.


The Danger comes when everything is a bit too quiet.

reply to post by maloy

So, if an F-22 unseen on radar, launches and shoots one down, who's to say what happened?

I mean, accidents happen, don't they?

reply to post by john124


I'll raise you:

reply to post by traderjack


The CNN article is from March, I remember a thread about it and how it buzzed a carrier.

So it's buried because it's old...

The Russian article is interesting though, apparently a couple of F22's were sent to follow the bombers on one of their patrols.

en.rian.ru...

The pilots of the Bears keep lining their cockpits with steel chicken wire, it's not going to help them though.
They have to rotate their squadron pilots, because, for some reason, it gets kinda toasty in there.

Originally posted by maloy
reply to post by john124

 

I'll raise you:

crazy people are everywhere, not just in Russia

Originally posted by NightRaider
So, if an F-22 unseen on radar, launches and shoots one down, who's to say what happened?

I mean, accidents happen, don't they?

Funnily enough I was thinking exactly the same.

The ruskies wouldn't know what hit 'em!

[edit on 15-11-2009 by john124]

Originally posted by maloy
reply to post by john124

 

I'll raise you:

Great video!!

reply to post by traderjack
In order to take a whole country down from within you have to cut them off from the rest of the world the best you can.They have us concentrating on just what they want,a corrupt government,pandemics,heath care,the up comeing 2010 elections.

These bombers do this all the time,this is Russa's why of saying HAY! were still here and testing you all the time,the minute they see a weak spot....its on.