Navy Intercepts Russian Bombers (including one that buzzed an US aircraft carrier)

[Beetle]

Navy Intercepts Russian Bombers

By LOLITA C. BALDOR – 2 hours ago
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.

[Beetle]

'Bout time to buzz Moscow with an ICBM.

Pukin would be Pukin

[Ryan Ruck]

Wow, good find Beetle!

The fighters intercepted the Russian bombers about 50 miles south of the Nimitz.

If those bombers were firing war shots, that CSG is "dead".

Especially if the Tu's were carrying nuclear tipped BrahMos, Yakhont, or Moskit missiles.

Isn't it great we've retired the F-14s whose sole (original) purpose was intercepting and shooting down Russian bombers, without any sort of a suitable replacement? This is exactly why I've thought we need a naval version of the F-22 as the original design proposals suggested could be built. The Super Bug just cannot fill the shoes of the F-14.

By the way, here is the composition of the CSG:

The Nimitz CSG is comprised of commander, CSG 11, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Nimitz; its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11; embarked Destroyer Squadron 23; the guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59); the guided-missile destroyers USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53), USS Higgins (DDG 76), and USS Chafee (DDG 90); Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 49 "Scorpions," HSL 37 "Easy Riders"; and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 11.

CVW-11's squadrons include the "Tophatters" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 14, the "Black Aces" of VFA-41, the "Sunliners" of VFA-81, the "Wallbangers" of Airborne Early Warning Squadron 117, the "Red Devils" of Marine Corps Strike Fighter Squadron 232, the "Black Ravens" of Electronic Warfare Squadron 135, the "Providers" of Carrier Logistics Support Squadron 30 and the "Indians" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 6.

Found here.
So they had 4 air defense ships in the group. Hopefully they sterilized those bomber crews with their radars!

[American Patriot]

It's scrolling on the scroller now. Looks to me like the Russians ARE BACK.

[American Patriot]

Admiral Calls Tu-95 Buzzing Of USS Nimitz 'Benign'
Aero News Network ^

As ANN reported, the Tu-95 flew over the Nimitz at about 2,000 feet while another bomber flew nearby February 9 -- but both were escorted by US aircraft and the event did not even warrant a call to "general quarters" or for crews to man battle stations, Navy Adm. Gary Roughead said.

"I did not consider it to be provocative," he told reporters at a Pentagon news conference Tuesday. "We knew they were coming. We saw them coming. We detected them at the appropriate time. We launched our alert aircraft, who escorted the Russian aircraft. From my perspective, everything worked exactly as we are trained to do and as we expect our people and our commanders to perform."

Roughead, who trained to fight the Soviet navy as a young officer, said he sees the event as a signal that the Russian navy is trying to emerge as a global entity. "My sense is that they are stretching their wings, so to speak," Roughead said.

When the Russian aircraft turned toward the Nimitz, four F/A-18 fighter jets intercepted and escorted them until they left the Nimitz's operating area.

Roughead said he has not asked for an explanation of the event from the Russian government, adding that no protective airspace is designated around craft operating in international waters.

"It was a very benign flight that came through, and we just latched on to them and followed them in," the admiral said. "I know I'm not playing this up very much, but that's the way I see it. They came out to look. We joined up (and) flew with them until they went home."

In total, four Russian Tu-95 bombers were involved, a Navy spokesman said. Two remained about 500 miles east of the US ships, and another orbited about 50 miles away as the one Tu-95 did two low passes over the Nimitz carrier group, he said.

Asked about the incident at a Senate Budget Committee hearing this morning, Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the incident raises questions about Russia's intentions in returning to "a Cold War mindset," and that the Russian aircrew did "nothing different and nothing unprofessional."

"It is free and international airspace," he said, "and we're just trying to now go back and look what message was intended by this overflight."

[catfish]

Ryan, I see you noticed the one thing that stuck out the most to me. Intercepted 50 freaking miles away!!!!! Thats a dead carrier.

[Ryan Ruck]

Yep...

Especially since:

BrahMos range = 180 miles
Yakhont/Oniks = 186 miles
Moskit/Sunburn = 75 miles

All of the above can be fitted with a nuclear warhead. Consider that you'd only really need one 200+ kt warhead to effectively wipe out most, if not all, of a CSG.

[Ryan Ruck]

Russian Bomber Intercepted Near US Navy Ship

Russian bomber aircraft approached a US aircraft carrier off the Korean coast on Wednesday and was intercepted by American fighter jets -- the second such incident in less than a month, US defense officials said.

According to the US officials, a Russian bomber came within three to five nautical miles and flew 2,000 feet above the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier and its accompanying ships. Two US F-18 fighters were launched to intercept the Russian aircraft and escort it out of the area, according to one defense official.

[Ryan Ruck]

Russian Bomber Again Intercepted Near U.S. Navy Ship

A Russian bomber aircraft approached a U.S. aircraft carrier off the Korean coast on Wednesday and was intercepted by American fighter jets -- the second such incident in less than a month, U.S. defense officials said.

According to the U.S. officials, a Russian bomber came within three to five nautical miles and flew 2,000 feet (610 meters) above the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier and its accompanying ships.

Two U.S. F/A-18 fighters were launched to intercept the Russian aircraft and escort it out of the area, according to one defense official.

Russian bombers over the past year have increased their flights near U.S. territory and U.S. naval assets, demonstrating their long-range strike capability.

In February, two Russian bombers approached the Nimitz near Japan and one flew over the carrier, escorted by a U.S. fighter jet. That was the first Russian overflight of a U.S. carrier since 2004.

Those operations come as Russian officials say they will revive some of the military power and reach allowed to collapse with the Soviet Union.

U.S. defense officials on Wednesday said they did not consider the Russian bomber flight a threat or concern.

[Beetle]

We should buzz Moscow.

[Ryan Ruck]

Some more details...

Russian Bomber Approaches U.S. Aircraft During Training Off South Korea

U.S. and South Korean fighter jets scrambled to turn back a Russian bomber that approached a U.S. aircraft carrier during training exercises, South Korean and U.S. officials said Thursday.

The Russian plane flew close to the USS Nimitz in waters off South Korea's eastern coast Wednesday, but retreated shortly after the fighter jets approached, an official at the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said on condition of anonymity, citing policy.

The official refused to provide details of the fighter jets involved.

Yonhap news agency quoted an unidentified military official as saying two F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters from the carrier and four South Korean F-16 jets were deployed to intercept the Russian plane.

The Russian navy confirmed that a Tu-142 anti-submarine aircraft flew over the American carrier, calling it a routine mission over the open sea.

"Attempts by U.S. officials to portray almost every flight of the Russian military aviation, including our naval aviation, over the world ocean as some sort of breach are appalling," Igor Dygalo, assistant to the navy commander in chief, said, according to Russia's Interfax-AVN news agency.

In February, U.S. fighter planes intercepted two Russian bombers — one directly flying over the Nimitz in the western Pacific ocean.

In Washington, a defense official downplayed the significance of the latest incident.

"We don't view this activity as threatening or of concern," the official said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

The official said it was standard operating procedure for Navy aircraft to escort a plane flying near its ships.

To get close to the U.S. carrier, the Russian plane intruded into a South Korean-controlled air defense zone above the open sea, Yonhap reported.

The zone does not belong to South Korea's aerial territory but was demarcated by the U.S. military a year after the Korean War broke out in 1950 as part of efforts to prevent accidental aerial clashes among regional powers.

In recent years, discord between the U.S. and Russia has grown over American plans to build a missile defense network and expand NATO membership. Russia has sought to bolster political and trade ties with countries in Asia and the Middle East to counter U.S. clout.

The U.S. stations 28,500 troops in South Korea in a legacy of the Korean War, which ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. American and South Korean troops regularly stage joint exercises to maintain their ability to deter any North Korean attack.

The Tu-142 is just a maritime warfare version of the Tu-95, by the way.

[vector7]

Russian planes again fly over U.S. Navy ships

Russian planes again fly over U.S. Navy ships

Story Highlights
Two Russian planes flew within 500 feet of U.S. Navy aircraft carrier.
That flyover is lower than others Russians have made over U.S. ships.
This year U.S. aircraft tried contacting Russian planes, but pilots didn't respond.
U.S. fighter jets met up with Russian planes, flew with them until they left.

From Mike Mount
CNN Senior Pentagon Producer

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Russian military aircraft flew just 500 feet over two U.S. Navy ships this week as the ships participated in a joint military exercise with South Korea in the Sea of Japan, according to U.S. military officials.

Two Russian Ilyushin IL-38 maritime patrol aircraft flew only 500 feet above a U.S. aircraft carrier.

On Monday, two Russian Ilyushin IL-38 maritime patrol aircraft, known as "Mays," overflew the U.S. aircraft carrier Stennis while it was in international waters in the Sea of Japan.

The Russian aircraft flew about 500 feet over the ship, lower than other flights the Russians have made over U.S. ships in the past year.

The USS Stennis was about 80 miles east of Pohang, South Korea, participating in the joint military exercise when the flyover occurred.

On Tuesday, the USS Blue Ridge, a lead command and control ship, and the Stennis were overflown by two Russian "Bear" long-range bombers multiple times, according to U.S. military officials.

The Bears overflew the ships at about 2,000 feet, officials said.

U.S. military officials said that in both cases, U.S. Navy F/A-18 fighters met up with the Russian aircraft about 70 nautical miles from the U.S. ships and flew alongside them until they left the area.

On both days, U.S. aircraft tried contacting the Russian planes on international air frequency radio channels, but the Russian pilots did not respond, officials said.

The last time Russian planes flew over a U.S. Navy ship was February 2008, when two Bears flew 2,000 feet over the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz south of Japan.

Russian long-range flights skirting U.S. or other nations' boundaries have also been common over the last year.

Although the Pentagon does not often talk about the overflights, there is nothing illegal about the actions, and they are generally seen by the United States as nothing more than muscle-flexing by the Russian military.