Russian bomb planes make 25 hours record-long Arctic flight

The Berents Observer ^ | September 19, 2020 | Thomas Nilsen

[texas booster]

The 20,000 km long flight took place from the Engels air base in southern Russia, via the Barents Sea to the central part of the Arctic Ocean, over the Northern Sea Route towards the Pacific with return over Siberia back to the airport.

World record for this type of aircraft, according to the Defense Ministry.

The two Tu-160 supersonic long-range bombers made three mid-air refueling from six Il-78 tanker planes during the 25 hours flight. After flying north to the Barents Sea and the central Arctic Ocean, the plane flew over the Kara, Laptev, East Siberian and Chukchi Seas as well as the Pacific Ocean in Russia’s Far East.

For parts of the flight, the bombers were followed by Su-35 fighters. The Defense Ministry in Moscow also confirms that foreign aircraft followed the planes for part of the route, but did not specify the origin of the foreign planes.

The previous record with Tu-160 aircraft was set in June 2010, when the duration lasted for 24 hours and 24 minutes.

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North American Aerospace Defense Command said Saturday it had scrambled F-22 Raptors and an E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft, supported by KC-135 tankers.

U.S. planes positively identified two Tu-160 and two Su-35 fighter aircraft entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone three times last night, according to NORAD.

The Russian planes, flying in international airspace, were in the zone for approximately four hours.

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The two Tu-160 bombers took off and landed at Engels airbase near Saratov in southern Russia. Photo: Russian Defence Ministry

[TexasGator]

B-52

1957. 39,165 km, 45 hrs 19 min

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North of Volgograd by 250 miles, closer to Georgia than Moscow.

Coordinates:
51°28′52″N 046°12′38″E

[Mouton]

How many missiles did they dodge? Zero. Too bad, not a valid test.

[rktman]

Where are the solar panels?

[texas booster]

I was wondering which in-flight movies that the Russians brought with them?

I hope that the toilets worked for the flight.

A big deal by Russian standards, just another day in the office for the USAF.

[dfwgator]

North of Volgograd by 250 miles, closer to Georgia than Moscow.

"Smolensk. 200 miles east of Minsk. 200 north of Kursk. 1500 miles west of Omsk."

[FreedomPoster]

“Bomb planes”?

Really?

[texas booster]

Wonder if they used bio-diesel, or at least paid AlGore for the carbon credits that their engines spewed out all across the pristine Arctic and Siberia.

[rktman]

Well grrrrrrreta will not be happy.

[frank ballenger]

Now they could circle LaGuardia with stacked up passenger aircraft in late afternoon and not run out of gas as quickly or be diverted to Toledo.

[Menehune56]

Never knew this, thanks Gator!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Power_Flite

[BradyLS]

It’s like there isn’t a word for that. Or maybe the article was hurriedly translated from another source.

[caww]

Interesting to see what Russia’s doing. They’ve been very busy in the Artic overall.

[TexasGator]

You might enjoy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Air_Command_(film)

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The Barents Observer is a (mostly) Norwegian online paper that lives under the shadow of the Bear.

English is probably their third language, on a good day.

I have suspected that they use auto-translators, especially when they pick up articles from Russia.

Hey, their English is better than my Norwegian or my Finnish.

[Vaduz]

A take that moment

[ealgeone]

Is a bomb plane like a bomber??

[ealgeone]

That’s a good movie.