Russian Bombers Fly Within 50 Miles of California Coast - intercepted by F-15's

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U.S. F-22, F-15 jets intercept four Bear H bombers near Alaska, Northern California

The remaining two nuclear-capable bombers then flew southeast and around 9:30 P.M. entered the U.S. northern air defense zone off the coast of Northern California.

Two U.S. F-15 jets were deployed and intercepted the bombers as they eventually flew within 50 miles of the coast before turning around and heading west.

A defense official said the four bombers also were supported by two IL-78 aerial refueling tankers that were used for mid-air refueling during the operation this week.

The Tu-95 is a long-range strike aircraft capable of carrying nuclear cruise missiles. Other versions are equipped with intelligence-gathering sensors and electronic warfare gear. It has a range of around 9,400 miles without refueling.

Now, I don't know about you but they have gone into the norther range of Alaska, etc, and it has always been done but 50 miles off the coast of California?

That means also that they traveled all the way down 'without' escort according to the article?

This to me is unnerving. Very unnerving. Thoughts from the aviation community?

Isn't it international water that far out? Could have sworn it is. Not really anything to worry about unless they cross into our water. That'd be like saying someone you don't like shouldn't be passing your house on the sidewalk. If they're not doing something to your home, then they have every right to be on that sidewalk.

Well that is a bit unsettling. The article seems to state that it is not unusual for practice runs like this but that getting that close to CA was unusual. Guess I will have to defer to the experts on ATS as to what is and isn't unusual in this circumstance though.

Says they have nuclear cruise missile capabilities.....any way to tell if they were equipped with them on these test runs and just how far could a nuclear cruise missile travel if fired 50 miles from the CA coast?

This has been happening since the fifties. In an incident that happened to a friend of mine, Russian Migs intercepted an airliner off the Alaska coast. F-104's flew in. Migs flew off. Another day in the friendly skies. Of course, back then there wasn't an Internet to yell OMG! on.

a reply to: Vasa Croe
I always assumed they always had aircraft in the sky 24/7 with nuclear war heads. Same as the US .. So I heard I could be wrong. But if it's true the chances of one of the bombers carrying nukes could be quite a possibility

a reply to: matafuchs

Russia really likes pushing its limits today. First this, then send in some tanks and armored vehicles into Ukraine (Ukraine blew up their tanks), and now Russia has also been messing with Latvia today to.

uk.news.yahoo.com...

In addition, Latvia said that Nato fighters that carry out air patrols over the Baltics scrambled a record four times on Thursday after a total of 16 Russian military planes were spotted close to Latvia's airspace.