F-22 fighters intercept Russian military planes 55 miles off Alaska

FoxNews ^ | September 20, 2014 | ·Associated Press

[WhiskeyX]

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Two F-22 fighter jets intercepted six Russian military airplanes that neared the western coast of Alaska, military officials said Friday.

[Common Sense 101]

Pooty Poot be dissin’ Sparky the Super CIC?

[Starboard]

Putin senses great weakness in the west in general, and Obama in particular.

Its hard to imagine any scenario where Obama would militarily respond to a serious provocation. We may see one soon.

[BuffaloJack]

Did they shoot it down?
If not, then why not?

[Common Sense 101]

I seriously doubt that Putin would make a serious move against the U.S., however I do think that he enjoys “tweeking” the community-organizing ass clown.

[skinkinthegrass]

Watch the Russians, vigorous opposite the "outlandish insult" to the Russian people and
the assorted (oppressed) Intuit tribes of the Russo-Alaskan populace of the (frm./stolen
Russian Territory) state of Alaska.

[TangoLimaSierra]

Did they shoot it down? If not, then why not?

There was no it. There were 6 Russian planes.

[tanknetter]

I seriously doubt that Putin would make a serious move against the U.S., however I do think that he enjoys “tweeking” the community-organizing ass clown.

That, and the Russians are testing our response times.

I'm willing to bet that the Raptors intercepted the Russians a LOT further away, but let them get closer in before pulling up along side. Like they did with the Iranians not to long ago.

“He [the Raptor pilot] flew under their aircraft [the F-4s] to check out their weapons load without them knowing that he was there, and then pulled up on their left wing and then called them and said ‘you really ought to go home'”

I do like the idea of sending out two Raptors to take on six Russians. Brings to mind the old "One riot, one Ranger" story.

[WhiskeyX]

Did they shoot it down?
If not, then why not?

---

The Russian aircraft were flying in international air space, so they had not yet violated the sovereign airspace of Canada or the United States. However, the Russian aircraft did penetrate the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) without an approved flight plan to do so, which made the Russian aircraft subject to military interception and escort until the Russian aircraft egressed the ADIZ.

[Alter Kaker]

There was no it. There were 6 Russian planes.

Two 1980-vintage fighters, two bombers and two tankers. Easy pickings for F-22s.

[Alter Kaker]

I do like the idea of sending out two Raptors to take on six Russians. Brings to mind the old "One riot, one Ranger" story.

Only two of the Russian planes were fighters, and they were old fighters. They were escorting two bombers and two tanker aircraft.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Yep Putey loves to bait the bull. Especially since we and our buddies in the EU are cranking the Western credit window closed and other sanctions playing havoc with the ruble.

[tanknetter]

Only two of the Russian planes were fighters, and they were old fighters. They were escorting two bombers and two tanker aircraft.

Good point. The Raptors were overkill. They should have sent A-10s.

[Iron Munro]

Wow!

The full 22 miles?

What’s the range of the Russian cruise missles? 2,000 miles?

[Iron Munro]

Yep Putey loves to bait the bull.

In this case he is just twisting the Nancy Boy's tail.

[CyberAnt]

I totally agree.

[nuconvert]

This kind of stuff has gone on for decades

[WhiskeyX]

The Russians also have to contend with our military aircraft conducting missions within their ADIZ, so they face a similar threat.

[where's_the_Outrage?]

I just realized that intercept to deter should not be an F-22 mission.

The first an enemy aircraft should know that an F-22 is there is when a missile comes up their tailpipe.

Lousy tactics to let the an enemy eyeball our aircraft. Should intercept with F-15s supported by F-22s in case sh!t hits the fan.

[WhiskeyX]

“This kind of stuff has gone on for decades”

Yes, decades ago I manned surveillance posts on the beach with binoculars and in the ops center with radar and other sensors to watch Soviet intelligence trawlers and Soviet submarines encroach on the missile test range. They tried every trick in and out of the book to disrupt normal range operations by daring a response to their incursions.