RAF Scrambles To Intercept Russian Bombers

Source: Times Online UK

RAF fighter jets were scrambled to intercept two Russian strategic bombers heading for British airspace yesterday, as the spirit of the Cold War returned to the North Atlantic once again.

The incident, described as rare by the RAF, served as a telling metaphor for the stand-off between London and Moscow over the murder of Alexander Litvinenko.

While the Kremlin hesitated before responding to Britain’s expulsion of four diplomats, the Russian military engaged in some old-fashioned sabre-rattling.

Two Tu95 “Bear” bombers were dispatched from their base on the Kola Peninsula in the Arctic Circle and headed towards British airspace.



Read more: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2093759.ece

The re-winding of the cold war is a worry, but I calm myself with the knowledge that it is the same bastards who make a profit, so it should come as no surprise.

Condi's area of expertise. hate to have all that expertise go to waste! :sarcasm:

I personally know a few former Air Force and Navy pilots who have seen or have been in dozens of these incidents. The pilots usually wave to each other or give the finger but with a smile every time. It's all a game and both sides are just following orders.

We can't see each other, lol.

-Hoot

they still shadow

year.

On behalf of the Military Industrial Complex I would like to extend our warmest and deepest appreciation. We look foreword to long and prosperous relationship.

Love and kisses from all of us

oxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxox

P.S.

Give us a big bear hug you old Putie Poot.

---------

Apparently Chimpy's last meeting with Putin was a great success.

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/US_ran_nuclear_weapons_exercises_week_0706.html

US ran nuclear weapons exercises the week before Bush-Putin summit

Shortly before the so-called 'Lobster Summit' between President George W. Bush and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Kennebunkport, Maine, the United States appears to have carried out a significant nuclear weapons exercise, according to a report in Friday's Washington Times.

"International radio operators picked up large numbers of coded Air Force communications being sent around the world on June 26 that indicated some type of military activity was about to take place," writes Bill Gertz in his weekly "Inside The Ring" column.

Gertz suggests that the transmissions, which he called 'extraordinary,' were related to US nuclear forces.

"A U.S. military official said the radio traffic was monitored from the Air Force Global High Frequency System (GHFS) that some observers regarded as 'extraordinary' because of the unprecedented length of messages," he writes. "The messages appeared to be emergency action messages, coded communications sent by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to U.S. Air Force strategic nuclear forces."

that Chimpy was feeding him.

But even an incident as "small" as this scares the shit out of me. I cant imagine dealing with something like the Cuban Missle Crisis. Even to this day, we are all much more likely to die from MAD than a lone suicide bomber at a mall, or a stray nuke from Pyongyang.

but not to JFK et al., who had in their possession photographic evidence that the Russian missile silos were not yet operational. In other words, the Soviets had to back down, and JFK knew it.

Later on, MAD between superpowers was successful in avoiding World War Three. I don't worry about MAD between, say, US and Russia. I worry that a terrorist group (not a nation-state) may acquire large quantities of really nasty stuff, like uranium or plutonium, or Anthrax, or Hanta virus. We know what they would do with it. Especially scary are the terrorists who, because of their religious fanaticism, actually want to die while killing others. The doctrine of MAD doesn't apply to them.

All through the Cold War this happened at least twice a week. The Warsaw Pact would fly some aircraft through the GIUK gap and the RAF would scramble fast jets to intercept.

It's SOP to intercept un-identified jets that look like they are entering UK airspace.

After the 'fall of the wall' the flight frequency decreased, mainly dus to cost, but was not unknown.

air and sub defenses, but (cue "Jaws" theme) the Times is owned by Rupert Murdoch's interests, since 1981, IIRC. Is the publication at this time of rather normal probing at all suspicious?
A little drum-beating perhaps? My cynical hat is on tight these days. :think:

the RAF and the Russian federation use them as training flights, elint and navigation exercises. The fuss is definately overblown. Nothing like stoking up paranoia to sell a few more papers.

I'm downright dewey-eyed with nostalgia!

:nuke::party::nuke:

Funny, I thought a 4-hour response was the best modern air defense systems could handle...

and then in five years we would be pals with them while they loan us money that they have selling us shit.