Russian strategic bomber conducts practice strikes on U.S. missile defenses in Asia

The cat and mouse game continues. The incidents are nothing new but the increased frequencies of such surveillance aircrafts points to nothing more than political/strategic posturing now that we have a new defense secretary. Obviously there are political dialogues coming out of both sides as per who wants to be the aggressor and possibly jump start the long dead 'cold war'. Its April 2013. Lets see the rest of the year brings

A Russian bomber recently carried out simulated cruise missile attacks on U.S. missile defenses in Asia, raising new questions about Moscow’s goal in future U.S.-Russian defense talks.

According to U.S. officials, a Russian Tu-22M Backfire bomber on Feb. 26 simulated firing air-launched cruise missiles at an Aegis ship deployed near Japan as part of U.S. missile defenses.

A second mock attack was conducted Feb. 27 against a ground-based missile defense site in Japan that officials did not identify further.

The incidents were detected by U.S. intelligence-gathering systems in the region and reported recently inside the Pentagon.

“As a matter of policy we do not comment on matters of intelligence,” Lt. Col. Catherine Wilkinson said when asked about the Backfire bomber incident.

The Tu-22 bomber can carry up to three air-launched Kh-22 land attack cruise missiles. The bomber has a range of about 2,500 miles.

Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Tom McInerney said the Backfire targeting is troubling.

“Russia continues to conduct aggressive offensive missile training in the Pacific against U.S. and Allied Forces,” McInerney said.

“We should understand that they look at ‘reset’ differently than we do,” said the retired three-star general, who once commanded forces in Alaska. “They look at it as regaining their previous USSR position as a superpower while this administration is moving towards unilateral disarmament.”

The bomber targeting of U.S. missile defenses also followed stepped up Russian bomber activities targeting other U.S. missile defense sites, including ground-based interceptors in Alaska and California. A large-scale Russian military exercise in the Arctic in June included flights by two Tu-95 Bear bombers that Russian military officials said had simulated attacks on U.S. missile defenses in Alaska.

Another pair of Tu-95s flew on July 4 the closest to the California coast that a Russian bomber had flown since the days of the Soviet Union, when strategic bomber flights near U.S. coasts were a routine feature of the Cold War.

Russian targeting of missile defenses also comes as Moscow’s GRU military intelligence announced April 1 that it would deploy a new reconnaissance ship in the Pacific to spy on U.S. missile defenses in Alaska and Hawaii.

SOURCE

Your source link isn't working, can you please correct it?

Russia is allies with China, I kinda figured where they'd stand in this... interesting to see the show now

NVM, I found OP's source HERE

The thief is crying "Stop Thief."

So it is OK for you to have bases in Asia to launch your Asia's wars and Not OK for others to target them ?

The incidents were detected by U.S. intelligence-gathering systems in the region and reported recently inside the Pentagon.

Would these be the same intelligence-gathering systems that brought us the conclusive evidence that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq?

I mean . . . how do they know the Russian bomber pilots were practicing strikes on U.S. Missile defenses in Asia . . . did they hear them making 'exploding' noises when they flew over the sites . . . did they cut loose big bombs that upon landing split open to reveal a placard that says Just practicing . . . or did they have Kim Jong Un call ahead and warn them of the practices much as he is doing with his warning that sometime maybe soon or not or later or maybe on a day ending in the ninth he's going to attack the US mainland?

What the hell is coming down the pipe inside our borders here in North America that has the lamestream media folks hell bent on distracting us from with all this crrrrrrrap?

reply to post by GoalPoster


The Aegis is more than capable of detecting a targeting radar aimed at them. If they were practicing a missile strike, then they would have had to lock some kind of target system on the Aegis, depending on how realistic they wanted to go. They would also fly on a very specific flight pattern simulating the launch conditions. Either way would show what they were up to.

reply to post by mypan


It's one thing to have bases somewhere, quite another to practice bombing runs against them. Depending on how realistic the Russian crews got it would be very easy for a mistake to be made, and someone pop a missile off (on either side). This is one of the reasons that years were spent negotiating a treaty between Russia and the US, to determine what could and couldn't be done when intercepting opposing side aircraft (usually Soviet off the US coasts). When targeting an Aegis that is in a high threat area already, and possibly at a higher alert status than normal, it's even easier for a mistake to be made. You don't want a mistake leading to a shooting incident, even a limited one.

We all do these simulations all the time. The only "rhetoric" is the press making them to be a story, when they are really quite routine. How ELSE would you train?

The Aegis is more than capable of detecting a targeting radar aimed at them. If they were practicing a missile strike, then they would have had to lock some kind of target system on the Aegis, depending on how realistic they wanted to go. They would also fly on a very specific flight pattern simulating the launch conditions. Either way would show what they were up to.

Exactly, and we both know that didn't happen, so this is the press trumping this into something it isn't....

Russian strategic bomber conducts practice strikes on U.S. missile defenses in Asia

Russia doesn't have the right to defense it's neighborhood which is partially in Asia ?

But US can do it wherever it wants on earth?

Is it not Imperialism dictatorship or I am blind to see the difference ?

Originally posted by Invariance
Your source link isn't working, can you please correct it?

Russia is allies with China, I kinda figured where they'd stand in this... interesting to see the show now

NVM, I found OP's source HERE

edit on 5-4-2013 by Invariance because: (no reason given)

My apologies. Fixed the link.
They've (Russia & China) always opposed to majority of the NATO/US/EU/West policies and moves atleast in the beginnings. Many times its a setup/mutual agreement to put up the act only to compromise behind closed doors on post policy/sanction(s) implementation IMO.

reply to post by Gazrok


Well they seem to like making a huge story out of nothing every other time that these things happen. Like when the two Russian bombers flew near Guam, and were reported as carrying nuclear weapons. When have you ever seen a mission like that flown with live nukes on board?

reply to post by Zaphod58


Never, of course. Sensationalism at its worst.

Originally posted by mypan
The thief is crying "Stop Thief."So it is OK for you to have bases in Asia to launch your Asia's wars and Not OK for others to target them ?

????? who is complaining/crying?

reply to post by GoalPoster
All good points and questions but we would never know the truth. Generally it will not be available until it becomes an issue or someday we'll see/hear about it on some documentary

Originally posted by mideast

Russian strategic bomber conducts practice strikes on U.S. missile defenses in Asia

Russia doesn't have the right to defense it's neighborhood which is partially in Asia ?
But US can do it wherever it wants on earth?
Is it not Imperialism dictatorship or I am blind to see the difference ?

Nobody claimed that they do not have the rights. You are interpreting it your way with the buildup within (anti US emotions). If you havn't noticed, all the posts and threads about North Korea on ATS, this might be related/side effect of the possible rhetorics being exchanged in the background in the Asian region. Thus a thread with the news. If its true or not to what degree is what remains to be discussed. Ofcourse these flights are nothing new and have been occurring for a long time not just around US but EU and other continents as well.

Originally posted by Gazrok
We all do these simulations all the time. The only "rhetoric" is the press making them to be a story, when they are really quite routine. How ELSE would you train?
..Exactly, and we both know that didn't happen, so this is the press trumping this into something it isn't....

edit on 5-4-2013 by Gazrok because: (no reason given)

I agree and it is true that most military/armed services conducts simulated exercises. however the press perhaps should re-phrase and use the word 'simulated' (Russian strategic bomber conducts simulated practice strikes on US missile defenses in Asia).

Originally posted by Zaphod58
reply to post by Gazrok

 

Well they seem to like making a huge story out of nothing every other time that these things happen. Like when the two Russian bombers flew near Guam, and were reported as carrying nuclear weapons. When have you ever seen a mission like that flown with live nukes on board?

Nobody (atleast average folks) has seen/known ofcourse We only find out years down the road.

1965. LTJG Douglas M. Webster, a United States Navy aviator, was the sole victim of a 1965 Broken Arrow in the Pacific Ocean that went unacknowledged by the Pentagon until 1981. His A-4 Skyhawk was lost over the side of the USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) on 5 December 1965 while the attack jet, armed with a B43 nuclear bomb, was being rolled from a hangar bay onto an elevator during a training exercise off the coast of Japan.

LINK

reply to post by hp1229


That was for a training mission though. That wasn't for a routine patrol like these. All of the "Broken Arrow" situations that I have heard of, or that have been revealed were Chrome Dome, or training missions. They didn't fly them along the coast of the Soviet Union, or over Soviet/Russian bases. I've never once heard of a mission like the ones that the Russians flew over Guam being armed with nuclear weapons.

Originally posted by Zaphod58
reply to post by hp1229

 

I've never once heard of a mission like the ones that the Russians flew over Guam being armed with nuclear weapons.

None that we know of atleast IMO Surely there wasn't the widespread networks of cable news/televisions/internet or high tech space based surveillance back then. So who the heck knows how many flights or ships were patrolling the perimeters of our enemies.

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy took the additional step of deploying U.S. Marines and U.S. Army troops into Thailand, an American ally to the west of Laos. In each crisis, the possibility that U.S. troops, backed by nuclear-armed American sea and air power, would move into Laos to protect the national government persuaded the Communists to limit their aggressive activity. But Southeast Asia remained an international hot spot.

LINK

reply to post by hp1229


Because it would be insanely stupid. All it takes is for one person to screw up (even in a minor way), and we have another EP-3 incident, only now you've lost some nuclear warheads, or worse. You'd have to be crazy to do it. Why take the risk when you can carry a really accurate simulated weapon if all you want to do is train how to release them or something.

reply to post by hp1229


I was not just pointing my finger on you.

And you should not take it just on yourself.

I was blaming the people here who fall for propaganda.

The people who are naieve and think US is helping peace.

Maybe it seems that I am anti-us govt , but I think you can give me the right to be so.

US has been waging and starting wars every time it decides all over the world.

You should give us this right to be worried about these MSM propaganda.

And that people ski on it like it is fun.

War is no fun , losing and disappointment is not good for all human beings.

It is not a football game.

It can come at your door and burn your home.

Is it too hard to understand ?

When are you people going to understand this ?