Russian strategic bombers complete Arctic patrol mission

RIA Novosti ^ | 17/06/2009

[pobeda1945]

MOSCOW, June 17 (RIA Novosti) - Two Russian Tu-95 Bear strategic bombers have carried out a routine patrol flight over the Arctic, an Air Force spokesman said on Wednesday. Lt. Col. Vladimir Drik said the bombers had spent over 12 hours in flight and were shadowed by two British Tornado and two Norwegian F-16 fighters.

Russia resumed strategic bomber patrol flights over the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic oceans in August 2007, following an order from then-president Vladimir Putin.

All flights by Russian aircraft are performed in strict compliance with international law on the use of airspace over neutral waters, without violating the borders of other states, Drik said.

[al baby]

Thanks Obama looks like a dual saw

[bmwcyle]

It is a cold area to fly old planes over.

[Jewbacca]

They might be old, but they cruise at 575 mph for 10,000 miles un-refueled, which is staggering for a prop plane.

(For comparison, the jet-powered B-52 hits 650 mph fully open.)

[wbill]

Bears? These have got to be tired old birds.

They were old planes in the 80s. Unless there's been a refit/upgrade.....

[Rebelbase]

Wasn’t the first generation of this plane a rip off of the B-29?

[FLAMING DEATH]

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia "The Tupolev Tu-95 (Russian: Туполев Ту–95) is a large, four-engine turboprop powered strategic bomber and missile platform. First flown in 1952, the Tu-95 was put into service by the former Soviet Union in 1956 and is expected to serve the Russian Air Force until at least 2040."

[rahbert]

From the Wiki: All Tu-95s now in Russian service are the Tu-95MS variant, built in the 1980s and 1990s.

[TalonDJ]

They had a license to build B29s and made a few knockoffs. This thing is quite a different bird. They probably borrowed a few things but there is very little comparison.

[Tijeras_Slim]

I thought they reverse engineered a B29 that had made an emergency landing in Siberia and never gave back the original.

I think it was called the TU-3.

[bmwcyle]

Yes but they do not last forever.

[TalonDJ]

You right.
Only there were 3 of them they got their hands on and the copy was called the Tu-4. Close enough.
http://aeroweb.lucia.it/rap/RAFAQ/Tu-4.html

[pobeda1945]

>They were old planes in the 80s. Unless there’s been a refit/upgrade.....

Tu-95 maybe old but it’s main goal is to transport kH-55 cruise missilse (range up to 3500 km) to a launch point.

[Thunder90]

Mr. President, the Red phone is ringing. Please pick up. Obama....