Posted on 02/11/2008 3:45:40 PM PST by Flavius
Edited on 02/11/2008 4:36:47 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
Russian bomber aircraft approached a US Aircraft carrier in the Pacific on Saturday and were intercepted by American fighter jets, a US Defense official said on Monday...
Excerpt. Story continues: YNetNews
Update:
Google AP
Navy Intercepts Russian Bombers
By LOLITA C. BALDOR – 1 hour ago
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.
In the Cold War I’m sure there were unmentioned responses to challenges like a F-14 tailing a Bear with a target lock on the Bear Pilot would be well aware of. The Bears Pilot would have quite a pucker factor because the TOMCAT would not miss and they could not out run them if they did do a hit.
~~~
LOL,,,This type of stuff was common in the ‘60s,,,
Next they come down from the Bering Sea,6 at a time,and
dive near the Sea-Tac ADIZ...Pucker Up...;0)
Slam your head into the nearest wall and reread what you posted! What do you consider the LOST Treaty to be? What is this rumor about OPEN BORDERS? Just a rumor or is it a fact that we have millions of illegal aliens running around our country these days?
When you sober up, explain these incidents to us all.
U.S. carrier help? (Admiral offers help to China)
Adm. Tim Keating, the U.S. Pacific Command leader, told reporters during his visit to China last month that while building and operating a carrier battle group is complex, the United States is willing to help.
"We would, if they choose to develop [an aircraft-carrier program], help them to the degree that they seek and the degree that we're capable, in developing their programs," Adm. Keating said.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1845931/posts
U.S. may share missile info with China
WASHINGTON, June 4 (UPI) -- The United States would "seriously" consider sharing technology and missile warning intelligence with China, (Secretary of Defense Gates) the U.S. defense chief said Sunday.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1846099/posts
Some China firms avoid U.S. technology transfer licenses
WASHINGTON: Six months ago, the U.S. government quietly eased some restrictions on the export of sensitive technologies to China. The new approach was intended to help U.S. companies increase sales of high-technology equipment to China despite tight curbs on sharing technology that might have military applications.
But now the administration is facing questions from weapons experts about whether some equipment - newly authorized for export to Chinese companies deemed trustworthy by Washington - could instead end up helping China modernize its military. Equally worrisome, the weapons experts say, is the possibility that China could share the technology with Iran or Syria.
The technologies include advanced aircraft engine parts, navigation systems, telecommunications equipment and sophisticated composite materials.
Nuckin futz.
Agreed. Anyone that can’t see a difference between McCain and Hill/Obama is either blind or completely stupid.
I was reading the other day that the EURForce...the EU rapid response force, was asked to respond to the country of Chad for some nonsense. 8 months later they still are dickering around and it may be 2 more months til they deploy.
Shoulda deep-sixed ‘em.
The group of men boarded an aircraft for Leningrad. On arrival in the city, they were led on a tour of museums and sites in the city. Then, the American group was taken to Mamayaev-Kurgan, the promontory overlooking the city. There, the group saw the 305 foot-tall concrete statue of Mother Russia holding aloft a sword. Gorshkov’s aide handed a note to Warner. The note was from Gorshkov and it read: “That sword points to the West because that is where the threat lies. We do not trust you today, nor tomorrow, nor in the distant future.”
I think it is beyond even caring any more. Just wait 'til the first leak in the obama administration, though.
Reminds me of the good ‘ol days...
The Russians aren’t going to initiate a nuclear holocaust. We have already played that game last century. This is simply a little chest beating to sooth their ego. If a Bear was to directly attack one of our carrier groups, it would come at quite a heavy cost to the idiots who do it. Unless of course, it was an all out pre-emptive strike.
Why would they do this? This cat and mouse game was played every day for nearly 50 years. I personally don’t think we should be pushing the Ruskies on the missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic. That is akin to the Russians putting their own missiles in, oh lets say northern Alberta or Mexico City.
Given the fact that we have the islamonuts to deal with, we don’t need to be stirring up any more trouble right now. I don’t see Russia as an impeding threat at this moment. Not like in the 70s or early 80s.
What really scares me about the whole thing are the potential for mistakes and misunderstandings that could lead to the senseless deaths of millions.
If either of those Russian planes had even made a twitch, they would been blown out of the sky so fast it would make their heads spin.
Now if the Russkies adopt the jihad way of thinking ( fly a TU-95 over a carrier and detonate a nuke ) well even then I think we will know if they have a nuke on-board.
So, the bulk of the US Fleet commanders were derelict during the cold war?
These escapades were common...very common. The Russians are not terrorists and if we were to shoot them down during these ops not only would we look stupid and weak, we'd be wrong. Up until about 15 years ago we would also find ourselves in the middle of a nuclear war.
I thought you knew all about this stuff...
all the color ones without lettering or labels are Mine.
that was actually reside on the slide, not the lens :)
Agreed, also Russia is going fascist and this is important window dressing for the common Russian to absorb and dream of glorious thoughts of the motherland.
Because Russia will lie, the only way to prove this is for the Japanese to shoot down any hostile aircraft that breaches their airspace, and put a chalk outline around the wreckage.
There is more than F-18’s in the air around the Nimitz.
You can be sure the officer of the deck knew about the planes 1 hour or so before it made it’s final course correction inbound.
And you can bet that surrounding ships had it painted with radar before it was 100 miles near the nimitz.
With the F-14s and their range and with barrier CAPs we were able to do so. I do not believe during the cold war that we allowed them to overfly our carriers directly over the deck at 600m if we could help it.
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