Navy Intercepts Russian Bombers

[ToughOmbre]

Feb 11 06:04 PM US/Eastern
By LOLITA C. BALDOR
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. fighter planes intercepted two Russian bombers, including one that buzzed an American aircraft carrier in the western Pacific during the weekend, The Associated Press has learned.

A U.S. military official says that one Russian Tupolev 95 flew directly over the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz twice, at a low altitude of about 2,000 feet, while another bomber circled about 58 miles out. The official was speaking on condition of anonymity because the reports on the flights were classified as secret.

The Saturday incident, which never escalated beyond the flyover, comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and Russia over U.S. plans for a missile defense system based in Poland and the Czech Republic.

Such Russian bomber flights were common during the Cold War, but have been rare since.

The bombers were among four Russian Tupolev 95s launched from Ukrainka in the middle of the night, including one that Japanese officials say violated their country's airspace over an uninhabited island south of Tokyo.

U.S. officials tracked and monitored the bombers as two flew south along the Japanese coast, and two others flew farther east, coming closer to the Nimitz and the guided missile cruiser USS Princeton.

As the bombers got about 500 miles out from the U.S. ships, four F/A- 18 fighters were launched from the Nimitz, the official said. The fighters intercepted the Russian bombers about 50 miles south of the Nimitz.



At least two U.S. F/A-18 Hornets trailed the bomber as it came in low over the Nimitz twice, while one or two of the other U.S. fighters followed the second bomber as it circled.

The official said there were no verbal communications between the U.S. and the Russians, and the Pentagon has not heard of any protests being filed by the United States. Historically, diplomatic protests were not filed in such incidents because they were so common during the Cold War era.

This is the first time Russian Tupolevs have flown over or interacted with a U.S. carrier since 2004.

In that incident, a Russian Tupolev flew over the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk in the Sea of Japan on Jan. 29, 2004. Since then, however, relations between the U.S. and Russia have deteriorated to their worst point since the Cold War, largely due to the United States' plans to put a radar system in the Czech Republic and 10 missile defense interceptors in Poland.

The U.S. has defended the plan as necessary to protect its European allies from possible attacks by Iran. But the Kremlin has condemned the proposal, saying it would threaten Russia's security.

"We are being forced to take retaliatory steps," said Russian President Vladimir Putin, who also warned that a new arms race is under way.

Japan, meanwhile, filed a formal protest with the Russian Embassy in Tokyo after Saturday's incident, saying that one of the Russian bombers crossed into Japanese airspace for three minutes. Russia has denied there was an intrusion.

TO

[comiso90]

50 miles is too close...
It's not like the bombers were traveling at mach 2.

,

[Adolf Galland Fighter ace]

Can the U.S. afford a arms race with so much $$ in Iraq and Afghanistan to name a few?

[plan_D]

There won't be an arms race; the U.S can continue develop at the current rate while Russia struggles to catch up at full speed, then overheat and burn again.

[Thorlifter]

50 miles is too close...
It's not like the bombers were traveling at mach 2.

,

No kidding. Why would they let them get that close?

Oh, BTW Cosmo...........love the siggy!

[ccheese]

Methinks the airspace out over the ocean belongs to no one. There was a
CAP launched, so if the Russians tried something they would pay with their
lives. And.... they knew that !

Charles

[plan_D]

This kind of thing has been happening for 50 years; as Charles rightly states the airspace over open ocean belongs to no one. The Russians were simply testing the water, so to speak. They wouldn't have been carrying anything except a few polaroid cameras and playboy magazines.

If the U.S saw a credible threat to their task force then they would have intercepted them long before 50 miles.

[Matt308]

What was cool was the pic of the F-22 with wing tanks with the Tu-142 in the background. Don't see that often.

[comiso90]

No kidding. Why would they let them get that close?

Oh, BTW Cosmo...........love the siggy!

Thanks!... the mighty Skyrocket!

If the U.S saw a credible threat to their task force then they would have intercepted them long before 50 miles.

Thats not how the game is played. You know the Russians from the ground crew to the Kremlin were treating it like a victory over the fat, lazy Americans with their precious, bloated Carriers..

I'd like to see them intercepted 200 miles out but that may mean CAP on the periphery... and very expensive aviation fuel and maintenance costs.


.

[Adolf Galland Fighter ace]

I agree it was not much of a threat but more a statement, and yes if they were credible threats they be splashed long before 50 miles.
My thought, I'm not American so look at it from your neighbor to the north. Maybe I'm wrong but I don't see the U.S. military anywhere near the Reagan days.
It is said your slipping into a depression, gold and oil reserves are a a low. So I look at both numbers and development and can America afford to keep the edge and take losses in Iraq and Afghanistan. And the fact it gives information about present hardware that China, thanks ti Israel, Russia and N.Korea are surely interested in how weapons work against Armour for example.
As well are the former Soviet block now NATO countries still using some Soviet equipment? Ak-47 a quick example! If this continues to escalate won't that mean a change to NATO issue arms would be needed?
I am I think a bit OT but it brought a lot of questions I don't have the knowledge to answer my own questions.

[plan_D]

On the contrary, allowing the Soviets *ahem* Russians believe they've achieved something is just laughing in their faces. The U.S were tracking them from the off, if they were seen as a threat then they would have been intercepted much-much earlier and I think the Russians know this. During the Cold War the Soviet bombers were buzzing U.S ships with U.S fighters in 'escort' - it's all a big game.

[Konigstiger205]

The Russians like to think they are playing cat and mouse with the U.S....in fact they are playing by themselves...

[Lucky13]

The Saturday incident, which never escalated beyond the flyover, comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and Russia over U.S. plans for a missile defense system based in Poland and the Czech Republic.

Tell me something, why would US want to plant a missile defence system in Czech Republic and Poland, are they members of NATO? Also, isn't this ALMOST the same as with the Cuba crisis in the 60's? (I know that it was missiles that time but still).....

[ToughOmbre]

Tell me something, why would US want to plant a missile defence system in Czech Republic and Poland, are they members of NATO? Also, isn't this ALMOST the same as with the Cuba crisis in the 60's? (I know that it was missiles that time but still).....

NATO members, yes. Guess that's why. The USSR put OFFENSIVE missiles in Cuba in 1962. Not the same as a missile defense system (IMO). Still nothing more than Russia slowly returning to the Cold War tactics of the post WW II era.

And here's a list of the current NATO members.....

Belgium
Bulgaria
Canada
Czech Rep
Denmark
Estonia
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Turkey
United Kingdom
United States

TO

[Haztoys]

I'm sure the US was tracking the planes for some time...The US tracks all of Russia's movements ...And I'm sure Russia tracks all of the US's movements ... I'm sure no one can do anything in this world with out the other side keeping an eye on it...I'm with PlanD on this .. They let them get that close...