# Navy Intercepts Russian Bombers



## ToughOmbre (Feb 11, 2008)

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


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## comiso90 (Feb 11, 2008)

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

,


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## Adolf Galland Fighter ace (Feb 14, 2008)

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


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## plan_D (Feb 15, 2008)

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.


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## Thorlifter (Feb 15, 2008)

comiso90 said:


> 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!


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## ccheese (Feb 15, 2008)

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


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## plan_D (Feb 15, 2008)

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.


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## Matt308 (Feb 15, 2008)

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.


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## comiso90 (Feb 15, 2008)

Thorlifter said:


> No kidding. Why would they let them get that close?
> 
> Oh, BTW Cosmo...........love the siggy!



Thanks!... the mighty Skyrocket!



plan_D said:


> 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.


.


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## Adolf Galland Fighter ace (Feb 15, 2008)

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.


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## plan_D (Feb 15, 2008)

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.


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## Konigstiger205 (Feb 16, 2008)

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


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## Lucky13 (Feb 16, 2008)

ToughOmbre said:


> 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).....


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## ToughOmbre (Feb 16, 2008)

Lucky13 said:


> 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


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## Haztoys (Feb 16, 2008)

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...


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## Lucky13 (Feb 16, 2008)

Thanks TO.....wasn't too sure and too lazy to lazy look it up myself.... Here's another question to stir things up a bit.....Does NATO have the same importance today as it had when the Warsaw Pact existed?


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## Matt308 (Feb 16, 2008)

Same importance? Ask Russia. They view NATO as a serious threat. While at the same time WARSAW PACT has crumbled. Look at Afghanistan. That is a "NATO" force over there. Who would have thunk that in the '80s. And then look at France and her embrace of NATO and other countries investing in materiel for regional conflicts outside of Europe. NATO is a different animal these days.


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## B-17engineer (Feb 16, 2008)

The bombers were probably tracked........at the moment the U.S. can't afford to war with any country especially RUSSIA


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## Matt308 (Feb 16, 2008)

At any moment, any country cannot afford to war with any country.

War is just another step in tough politics.

Don't believe me? Look at history.


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## B-17engineer (Feb 16, 2008)

No i Believe you i didn't even say anything..............


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## Matt308 (Feb 16, 2008)

It was only a post B17. Not an accusation nor a critique. Lighten up, dude.


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## Konigstiger205 (Feb 17, 2008)

Well since most of Eastern Europe is part of NATO its a very serious pain in the ass for Russia, especially with U.S. bases so close to them.I believe we have one or 2 bases here, I know for sure they where but I'm not sure if they still are...


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## B-17engineer (Feb 17, 2008)

ok haha sorry. Bad Day yesterday........


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Feb 17, 2008)

Konigstiger205 said:


> Well since most of Eastern Europe is part of NATO its a very serious pain in the ass for Russia, especially with U.S. bases so close to them.I believe we have one or 2 bases here, I know for sure they where but I'm not sure if they still are...



Yes we have opened several training bases in Romania now.


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## Konigstiger205 (Feb 17, 2008)

DerAdlerIstGelandet said:


> Yes we have opened several training bases in Romania now.



I'm very happy with those bases...maybe now since we are part of European Union the idiots in charge will fund the army properly because its a complete wreck...


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## joy17782 (Feb 18, 2008)

russia is just trying some crap, hell if you said china , i would get scared, but you figured they did that because of the kosovo independence, but the russians are just hot air, putian needs too be punted in the grion,


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Feb 18, 2008)

They are not doing this because of Kosovo. They have been doing this again for about the last 4 to 6 months now.


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## Ramirezzz (Feb 19, 2008)

such low passes can be really dangerous both for the airplane and for carrier:

_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3bijF2--os_

rare footage, still classified in Russia


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## comiso90 (Feb 19, 2008)

Ramirezzz said:


> such low passes can be really dangerous both for the airplane and for carrier:
> 
> _View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3bijF2--os_
> 
> rare footage, still classified in Russia




What is the VO saying?

It doesnt look like it hit the carrier


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## Matt308 (Feb 19, 2008)

Lots of splices. Who knows what that was.


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## Ramirezzz (Feb 20, 2008)

comiso90 said:


> What is the VO saying?
> 
> It doesnt look like it hit the carrier



The narrator says the plane hit the water while turning left at the very low height


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## plan_D (Feb 20, 2008)

I've seen that before; there's a website dedicated to the Cold War interceptions but I can't remember the address. I'll try to find it; quite a site.


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## Milos Sijacki (Feb 24, 2008)

They were just teasing.


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## wilbur1 (Feb 24, 2008)

Hell they wernt teasing thats how they fight


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## snafud1 (Feb 24, 2008)

Ouch.


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## Condora (Aug 11, 2009)

comiso90 said:


> What is the VO saying?
> 
> It doesnt look like it hit the carrier



Anybody here knows russian? I think it talks about spetznaz halfway through it, and it doesn't make sense...


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## Dark Matter (Aug 11, 2009)

Either the Russians are trying to intimidate us or they are spying.


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## Messy1 (Aug 11, 2009)

My dad has told me stories about his time on the USS Ranger working the flight deck during Veitnam, I think 68-72 was when he was in the service. He has told me they had several flyovers by Russian birds. He says that they were alarming at first, but soon became so common place that everyone on the flight deck started waving to the Russians as they flew over, and basically paid them very little attention. The Russians were always escorted by F4s.


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## PJay (Aug 27, 2009)

Nice of NATO to tell them where their cargo ship was.


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