Russian Bomber Buzzes U.S. Ship

U.S. Fighter Jets Intercept 2 Of Moscow's Bombers In Western Pacific

(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.

[tbweb]

The U.S. and Russia are not at War so this event is no big deal. In addition the U.S. and Russia let the other know in advance of military exercises. What probably happened is Russia is training a new generation bomber pilots and one of them thought they were still in the flight simulator and I''m sure was told "nyet" you don''t fly over American Carriers during training comrade.

[ioweign]

Well, could be worse.... it could have been a Airbus taking off from Tokoyo that the AN/SLQ-32 identifed as a incoming missle and we shot it down. (Ref: USS Vincennes).

Anyone who doesn''''t see a US missile base in Poland as a threat and US agression isn''''t playing a full deck.

Of course, the only GOOD thing about our NMD is that so far no enemy has built an intercontinental ballastic barn.

Regards,

Posted by Nancy_Naive at 05:30 PM : Feb 12, 2008

Nancy,

Just how familiar are you with the 32 ??

[guadalcanal3]

Putin does not need any information on the Nimitz...He is merely demonstrating the efficiency and global range of his own forces to the USA and to the world...quite simple really...

[rowdytexan2]

Nowwwwwww...the Russiams are coming hi he hi ho, hi he hi ho!!!!

Look out folks, there''s a Russian, a jihadist, and one of your terrorist neighbors behind every tree in your yard!

[kennedy7955]

How can you blame the Russians? The have an aweful lot to be scared about. Just imagine the Czech''s and the Pole''s with Radar and missiles. OOOhhhhhh. Very, very scary. The Czech''s and Poles could at any moment invade Russia and bring them to their knees.

The Czech''s have a massive country, just a bit smaller than South Carolina. The Poles are even more formidable with a country a little smaller than New Mexico. You just can''t blame Russia for being scared of neighbors like this so close to their border.

[rgmiron]

ICI2I, I Agree.

[nothappyatall]

"The official was speaking on condition of anonymity because the reports on the flights were classified as secret. "

Another yellow bellied sapsucker chicken anonymous ''official'' allegedly quoting to the media, but we the readers have NO proof this quote or information is even real and not made up as has happened with somewhat recent reports or articles by now fired journalists. So either provide a NAME behind the information besides ''an official hiding behind anonymity to protect his azz when the ''facts'' turn out to be fake or lies.


"Russians, just a bunch of drunk whiners. We should have shot that obsolete box of tin down.
Posted by robertkjjj "

ALl I can say is thank god you arent in charge of the military or the president of the US, with thoughts like that YOU would single handedly restart the cold war and nuclear arms race with Russia at the very least, if not worse!
You are an idiot to make a stupid statement like that!

[j-whitman]

robertkjjj,,, Actually, those planes have been in service as long as our own B-52''s

[robertkjjj]

Russians, just a bunch of drunk whiners. We should have shot that obsolete box of tin down.

[j-whitman]

tmr3513,,, They can''t do that, lady sailors are on board, good idea though.

Putin would have gotten a laugh out of it, but I''m quite sure he learned enough from the areal photo''s they took.

[tmr3513]

If I had been the captain of the carrier, I would have had every able-bodied seaman on the flight deck and shot them the moon in mass!You know they were filming the flyover,it would have gave old Putin the weasel something to look at.

[j-whitman]

Didn''t Bush/McCain say, "The Cold War is over" ???

I''m confused, would that count as a lie, fib, misspeak, misstatement or simple ignorance ???

Too bad we couldn''t get an anchor pool going on the number of lies... We could have donated the money to GM so they wouldn''t fire 76,000 workers for cheap labor & less benifits

[pensacola88]

The Russians are just protesting. Showing hostile intent is something they are good at, but we are better. The things we do to them aren''t making it to the news media.

[toolmangler-2009]

Thank you earthlives, what the Russians just proved to themselves is that they can fly a warplane directly at one of our largest war ships and not be fired on.

Next time they may fire rockets from them and kill 5000 Navy personnel plus destroy the ship.

I am sure rafterman will be willing to accept their diplomatic apology that some general overstepped his authority and move on like he did when the Korean passenger liner was downed.
Posted by thgdriver at 05:01 PM : Feb 12, 2008



This is ''old hat'' we''ve been doing it to them and they''ve been doing it to us, The only thing new here is that someone told the media to pay attention and do a "shocking" story on it. Do your research....

[uradufuss]

Maybe Patton was right about the Russians? I''m not sure what scares me most about them --their society, or their government? Both operate like the mafia.

[j-whitman]

thg,,, I''ve got to give you credit here,, I''ve heard some of these McCain/Bush lovers say it was outdated bombers...... our B-52''s are just as old & we still use them.

[thgdriver]

Thank you earthlives, what the Russians just proved to themselves is that they can fly a warplane directly at one of our largest war ships and not be fired on.

Next time they may fire rockets from them and kill 5000 Navy personnel plus destroy the ship.

I am sure rafterman will be willing to accept their diplomatic apology that some general overstepped his authority and move on like he did when the Korean passenger liner was downed.

[thgdriver]

Rafterman would have me believe that all his spy planes have there Navigation lights turned on. Good idea rafterman. The Russian pilot even told his superiors that fact and they still shot it down.

Of course I remember our accidental shooting down of the Iranian plane, The differences between the two are too numerous to even argue about or discuss.

[j-whitman]

thg,,,, Speaking of Arizona,,, What has lying McCain ever done for their borders ??? ------ Absoultly Not One Damm Thing

[thgdriver]

Rafterman the Russians have you so brainwashed with that excuse to shot down an unarmed Passenger jet, it''s unbelievable you would believe that and try to defend them.

I can see you now in to bowels of the Arizona telling every one to stay in their bunks, you are positive the Japanese are only doing a flyover reconnaissance at Pearl Harbor.