Putin’s July 4th Message
Russian nuclear-capable bombers intercepted near West Coast in second U.S. air defense zone intrusion in two weeks

BY: Bill Gertz - July 6, 2012 8:13 pm
http://freebeacon.com/putins-july-4th-me....
Two Russian strategic nuclear bombers entered the U.S. air defense zone near the Pacific coast on Wednesday and were met by U.S. interceptor jets, defense officials told the Free Beacon.

It was the second time Moscow dispatched nuclear-capable bombers into the 200-mile zone surrounding U.S. territory in the past two weeks.

An earlier intrusion by two Tu-95 Bear H bombers took place near Alaska as part of arctic war games that a Russian military spokesman said included simulated attacks on “enemy” air defenses and strategic facilities.

A defense official said the Pacific coast intrusion came close to the U.S. coast but did not enter the 12-mile area that the U.S. military considers sovereign airspace.

The bomber flights near the Pacific and earlier flights near Alaska appear to be signs Moscow is practicing the targeting of its long-range air-launched cruise missiles on two strategic missile defense sites, one at Fort Greely, Alaska and a second site at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.

In May, Russian Gen. Nikolai Makarov, the chief of the Russian General Staff, said during a Moscow conference that because missile defense systems are destabilizing, “A decision on pre-emptive use of the attack weapons available will be made when the situation worsens.” The comments highlighted Russian opposition to planned deployments of U.S. missile defense interceptors and sensors in Europe.

The U.S. defense official called the latest Bear H incident near the U.S. West Coast “Putin’s Fourth of July Bear greeting to Obama.”

If push came to shove and there was ever a showdown between Russia and the US - Putin would be calling all the shots in Russia. Obama would have a seat in the back of the room at the Pentagon while the Joint Chiefs ran the show. Obama wouldn't say **** if he had a mouthful of it.

There's your difference between Putin and Obama.

Thought this was happening even after the collapse of the FSU,

A guy I know used to ride along on some intercept missions.

Said it was kind of a tradition to take centerfolds along... Ivan would do the same, and a good deal of in-flight time would be spent with Americans showing off centerfolds to the Russkies as they escorted them out of U.S airspace, and then they'd do the same before they parted ways.

Kinda like a cold-war boobie thread.

They can intercept unannounced military flights but 4 commercial airliners going off their flight paths is too hard.

Yuh.

Noodleman wrote..

If push came to shove and there was ever a showdown between Russia and the US - Putin would be calling all the shots in Russia. Obama would be on the back nine at Andrews AFB or off in Nowhereland, USA camapigning while the Joint Chiefs ran the show.

Fixed.

I have complete confidence.

Didn't Huffin Hillary say that China and Russia would pay for whats going on in Syria?

This has been going on for a bit, on the east coast.
They split the duty with bases from the North Atlantic down to the east coast and back.

Spooky-yes.
New-no.

bob

Anecdotal,

Back in the cold war day, Russian spy boats disguised as trawlers constantly tested the limits off the east coast.

F-14s would do fly overs so low above them it would knock down their antennas.

We knew they were there and they knew that we knew. It was a game.

Boz wrote:

Quote:

They can intercept unannounced military flights but 4 commercial airliners going off their flight paths is too hard.

Yuh.

I recall the excuse of "NORAD is geared for tracking external threats when it comes to airspace intrusions, and not internal flights off-course".

But I agree with you....

A pretty regular occurrence in the last six years or so...

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010....

Quote:

According to Northcom figures, so far this year [ed: 2010] there have been five jet intercepts of Russian bombers near U.S. or Canadian airspace. Last year, there were 17, and 12 in 2008 and 18 in 2007. By contrast, between 1999 and 2006 there were only 11 encounters in the air with the Russian bombers.

And it's not just the US Air Defense Zone (which is slightly larger than what would be considered proper "US Airspace") either.

It's telling that they slowed down heavily in the '90s and early '00s. May be more a commentary on the state of Russia at the time than the US now though.

Quote:

By contrast, between 1999 and 2006 there were only 11 encounters in the air with the Russian bombers.

Money thing.

....I remember seeing a still photo taken by an F-16.....flying inverted about 30 feet from the cockpit of one of these bombers...and the US pilot flipping the bird to the crew.

Top Gun...?