Video allegedly shows Tu-22M overtaking Alaska Airlines flight

A video has surfaced on The Aviationist allegedly showing a Russian Tu-22M Backfire bomber overtaking Alaska Airlines 821 from Sacramento California to Kahului Maui back in August. The video claims that the first hour of the flight was uneventful, then suddenly the bomber showed up coming up from behind the 737 on the left side, before passing beside the flight.

There are a few oddities about the video however, as brought up by the Aviationist site. If you watch the video, the angle of the bomber never changes, neither does the perspective. There's no refueling probe, but reportedly the Tu-22M had a retractable probe that was removed under SALT, but could be put back on pretty easily.



theaviationist.com...

How do we know this is indeed a Russian aircraft? It doesn't look to be fake but I just don't believe in the authenticity of it being Russian. Besides...where in the hell does it plan on refueling?

reply to post by HawkeyeNation


It's a Russian built Tu-22M, currently only Russia operates them. China is trying to buy some, but it would be several years before they would receive them.

As for refueling, it would refuel from a tanker aircraft. The original Tu-22 had a refueling probe, which was removed, but it wouldn't be hard to put them back on. Now that Russia is operating farther from home it would make sense that they had reinstalled them on these aircraft.

Is it even ok to be flying that close? That has to be breaking terms and conditions of flying XD

But really, IF this is legit, why is a Russian fighter jet off the coast of California?
How far can one of those jets make it with a tank of fuel?

Russia to California is quite a way.

Oooops, ATD screwed up...

There's no way we didn't know about it and 300 miles or more from the coast is open to all. Not a big deal really but strange to follow a comercial craft.

reply to post by otie1


It's actually a bomber. It has an unrefueled range of about 4,000 miles. If it has the refueling probe reinstalled, its range is only limited by the crew and oil consumption of the engines.

As for how close it is, ICAO rules allow for 1000 feet of vertical separation, and within a couple of miles (I forget the exact number) of horizontal separation. He's well outside separation minimums.

The thing that spoils it for me is that at the end of the video, when we are looking forwards past the winglet of the 737, the image of the Tu22M is exactly the same as when we first see it, only smaller. Wouldn't this have required the Tupolev to have slewed round and be flying sideways

reply to post by waynos


Yeah, I noticed that too. I'm almost convinced this is fake, but I'm not good enough with video to know for sure. So figured I'd throw it out here with people that are better with it, to try to figure this out.

if you ask me ,for the looks on the video seems like is escorting the airliner ,not in a hostile mode,but just 'making company'.Now im just playing,but what if the pilot was trying to reach Us territory?...asilum?..

I'd have to say neat, but fake. In addition to the oddities already pointed out, it seems like the white dorsal strobe moves between the first and second angles, from the middle of the aircraft spine to the foot of the vertical stabilizer. Sorry.

I wonder what a Tu-22M would do if the airliner did not cooperate? It doesn't exactly have a comprehensive AA armament. That, and something tells me that the tail guns are not stocked with ammunition.

Russians nuclear bombers occasionally fly over Europe.