Russian bombers 'intercepted in British airspace'

[old_pop2000]

Wow, like this is something new and different!:p

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/03/25/russia.uk.intercepts/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+%28RSS%3 A+Top+Stories%29&utm_content=My+Yahoo

When I was in ADC, we intercepted the "Gents" every week coming down through the Alaskan Air Command. We would scramble F-106s out out of Hamilton to escort them, to make sure they didn't get frisky. Sometimes the Navy would send up some F4s if they were in the area. It was just a game, to see how fast we would react. It broke the boredom. Those of you who were stationed aboard carriers had the same issues with these "Gents" I am sure.

"Much ado about nothing"

[Kyle Holgate]

In the Atlantic there was a fairly regular 'train' of Tu-95 and Tu-142 (bear D and F) aircraft flying to Cuba and back. We sent off 'flash' intercepts whenever we got radar intercepts off of them (ESM contacts).
This is a bit different in that the aircraft were not 'bears' but were TU-160 bombers - the 2 bears being recon or recon/ASW aircraft. I don't remember ever seeing any Tu-22 backfires or other aircraft than those 2 bear types ever flying around much.

[old_pop2000]

In the Atlantic there was a fairly regular 'train' of Tu-95 and Tu-142 (bear D and F) aircraft flying to Cuba and back. We sent off 'flash' intercepts whenever we got radar intercepts off of them (ESM contacts).
This is a bit different in that the aircraft were not 'bears' but were TU-160 bombers - the 2 bears being recon or recon/ASW aircraft. I don't remember ever seeing any Tu-22 backfires or other aircraft than those 2 bear types ever flying around much.

In my service time, 1968-1972, they only had the three B's; Bears, Bisons and Badgers. There were no Backfires or Blackjacks.

[steel_selachian]

I think Kyle means that the Bears playing games back in the Cold War days were recce/ASW variants - not nuclear-capable bombers like the Blackjack, Backfire, or Tu-95MS Bear-H.

I think it's less alarm than thinking back with nostalgia about the mid-90s when it seemed like the Russians were done with these sorts of games ...

[old_pop2000]

I think Kyle means that the Bears playing games back in the Cold War days were recce/ASW variants - not nuclear-capable bombers like the Blackjack, Backfire, or Tu-95MS Bear-H.

I think it's less alarm than thinking back with nostalgia about the mid-90s when it seemed like the Russians were done with these sorts of games ...

The Bears in those days were maritime strike aircraft along with recce versions.

[Kyle Holgate]

The Bears in those days were maritime strike aircraft along with recce versions.

But the strike versions had different radars than the recon or recon/ASW versions. One could tell them apart, and the strike aircraft never flew out into the Atlantic very far - certainly not far enough for mid atlantic ESM hits at least.

[Kyle Holgate]

I think Kyle means that the Bears playing games back in the Cold War days were recce/ASW variants - not nuclear-capable bombers like the Blackjack, Backfire, or Tu-95MS Bear-H.

I think it's less alarm than thinking back with nostalgia about the mid-90s when it seemed like the Russians were done with these sorts of games ...

Bingo - that's what I meant! Playing games with recon birds is one thing, playing games with strike aircraft is a different thing entirely.

[old_pop2000]

But the strike versions had different radars than the recon or recon/ASW versions. One could tell them apart, and the strike aircraft never flew out into the Atlantic very far - certainly not far enough for mid atlantic ESM hits at least.

Entirely possible, but we were on the coast of Northern California about 100 miles north of San Francisco. The Birds flew the polar route from the eastern coast of Siberia, possibly Sakhalin Island up along the Aleutians which put them in the Alaskan Air Command then down the coast of Canada. The Bears had a combat radius without refueling of over 4400 miles, longer with the tankers. They could fly from the Kola Peninsula to Cuba, so flying near Alaska and down the west coast of NA was simple for them.

[Kyle Holgate]

Entirely possible, but we were on the coast of Northern California about 100 miles north of San Francisco. The Birds flew the polar route from the eastern coast of Siberia, possibly Sakhalin Island up along the Aleutians which put them in the Alaskan Air Command then down the coast of Canada. The Bears had a combat radius without refueling of over 4400 miles, longer with the tankers. They could fly from the Kola Peninsula to Cuba, so flying near Alaska and down the west coast of NA was simple for them.

My only point is/was that the article you link to is IMO not a same-old, same-old recon bird snooping around like has been done (and overdone) so many times before. This is a nuke capable strike aircraft. It's not another pigeon, this time it's a hawk.

[old_pop2000]

My only point is/was that the article you link to is IMO not a same-old, same-old recon bird snooping around like has been done (and overdone) so many times before. This is a nuke capable strike aircraft. It's not another pigeon, this time it's a hawk.

Ok, but its all relative. In the 1960's, encounters with the three B's was still a big deal and considered a threat. Its the same now, both had nuclear capability. The aircraft now are faster and more efficient weapons are available, but defenses have improved also. Its the same old story of offense and defense. It's simply that we have had a few years of peace and quiet, now the Russian's are back to their old tricks. We just have to get used to it again. Another factor is the the CNN factor. We didn't have CNN then, no one really knew about these little encounters.

[steel_selachian]

Ok, but its all relative. In the 1960's, encounters with the three B's was still a big deal and considered a threat. Its the same now, both had nuclear capability. The aircraft now are faster and more efficient weapons are available, but defenses have improved also. Its the same old story of offense and defense. It's simply that we have had a few years of peace and quiet, now the Russian's are back to their old tricks. We just have to get used to it again. Another factor is the the CNN factor. We didn't have CNN then, no one really knew about these little encounters.

In the 80s at least we used to do the same deal with B-52s - drive them right at the Soviet ADZs and then wave off just short of Soviet airspace. That was one of the reasons Brezhnev and Andropov got their panties in a bunch about a preemptive nuclear strike.

[old_pop2000]

In the 80s at least we used to do the same deal with B-52s - drive them right at the Soviet ADZs and then wave off just short of Soviet airspace. That was one of the reasons Brezhnev and Andropov got their panties in a bunch about a preemptive nuclear strike.

Yea, I can imagine the Soviet Defense forces going on alert twice a year when the B-52s went to Elmendorf and ran Snowtime missions down though NORAD. It was all a game, still is. A dangerous one, but still a game.

[Ed Rotondaro]

Yea, I can imagine the Soviet Defense forces going on alert twice a year when the B-52s went to Elmendorf and ran Snowtime missions down though NORAD. It was all a game, still is. A dangerous one, but still a game.

Dennis:

Guess Putin wants to remind us that Russia is still a military power.

[old_pop2000]

Dennis:

Guess Putin wants to remind us that Russia is still a military power.

If you check the tail numbers, it's probably the same two Blackjacks each time. Probably the only ones that can still fly. :p Maybe they were trying to defect?

Hopefully one those crazy fellas doesn't fly into a civilian airliner, they don't get much training time anymore.

I love what the UK papers are saying: "covert flight". The Royal Norwegian F-16s followed them all the way to Scotland, what's this idea of a "covert flight". You aren't "covert" at high altitude, you need to be on the deck. Geez