Russian Bombers Violate US Air Space

[raven818]

The U.S. Northern Command and joint U.S.-Canadian North American Aerospace Defense (NORAD) Command said two Russian bombers violated U.S. airspace near Alaska during recent arctic war games.

Disclosure by the command in charge of U.S. homeland defense followed a report in the Free Beacon quoting U.S. officials who said the Russian aircraft had threatened U.S. air space but did not cross into it and were met over the Pacific by U.S. F-15 interceptor jets.

“There was a single out-of-area patrol by two Russian
long range bombers which entered the Alaska ADIZ that were visually
identified by NORAD fighters,” John Cornelio, chief spokesman for Northcom, said in an email response to questions about the recent war games.

ADIZ is the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone, a line of airspace surrounding Alaska used by the military to monitor aircraft threats.

On Capitol Hill, a senior House Republican expressed concern over the Russian war games.

“These latest reported actions show what the Russian Federation thinks of the ‘reset’ the Obama administration desperately continues to push,” said Rep. Michael R. Turner (R., Ohio), chairman of the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee.

“Incursions into our airspace, along with their threats to attack our missile defense systems, show President Putin’s aggression in the face of President Obama’s ‘flexibility,’” said Turner.

Turner was referring to open-microphone comments made by the president during a meeting in March with then-Russian President Dmitri Medvedev. Obama was overheard telling the Russian leader not to pressure him during the election and promising “more flexibility” in negotiations with Moscow on missile defenses after his presumed reelection.

Washington and Moscow remain at odds over U.S. and NATO plans to deploy missile defenses in Europe that Russia regards as a threat to its strategic forces and that the United States insists will be limited for use against Iranian missiles.

Cornelio, the Northcom spokesman, identified the Russian aircraft were Tu-95MS bombers that “are capable of carrying a variety of payloads, including
nuclear weapons.”

“NORAD continues to monitor and identify all flights approaching the Air
Defense Identification Zone,” he said, noting that Russian jets observed international flight rules and their activities “were conducted in a professional manner.”

“As is their right, the Russian Air Force continues to fly in international airspace,” Cornelio said.

Cornelio declined to answer further questions, including whether the Russians notified the United State in advance of the Alaska air intrusions and whether national command authorities were notified.

Cornelio sought to play down the Russian’s arctic war games, which a Russian military spokesman said simulated attacks on “enemy air defenses” and other strategic targets.

“Russia and NORAD routinely exercise their capability to operate in
the North,” Cornelio said. “These exercises are important to both NORAD and Russia and are not
cause for alarm.”

The spokesman said the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone is not a “defense line” but a zone of identification marking air space.

He said the majority of the Russian exercises were “conducted mostly within Russian airspace and
over the central Arctic Ocean, far from the Alaskan and Canadian Air Defense
Identification Zones.”

Other defense officials said the exercises, which began June 18, coincided with the meeting in Mexico between Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Obama. Both leaders appeared unfriendly toward each other in photos and videos of the summit encounter.

Officials said the administration made no protest of the incursions and kept details of the transit into U.S. airspace secret until the exercises appeared in the U.S. press.

Some 30 strategic nuclear bombers and support aircraft, including refueling tankers and airborne warning and control aircraft, took part in the maneuvers that ended Monday.

They included the Bear H and Tu-160 Blackjack nuclear-capable bombers.

The arctic exercises by the Russians are raising concerns among European and North American governments regarding efforts by Moscow to seek control over the resource-rich arctic territory, a strategic transit point for international bombers since the Cold War.

Defense officials believe the Russian war games simulated strikes using long-range cruise missiles against the U.S. missile defense interceptor base at Fort Greely, Alaska, as well as strikes on strategic radar systems based on the Aleutian island chain.

The maneuvers also likely practiced targeting the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline.

A Russian military spokesman, Air Force Lt. Col. Vladimir Deryabin, was quoted in Russian press reports as saying the purpose of strategic exercise involved “practice destruction of enemy air defenses and strategic facilities.”

http://tinyurl.com/6mdrcxe

[jbmid1]

No problem, they're just practicing for their cruise missile runs.

[ryan42]

Originally Posted by raven818

The U.S. Northern Command and joint U.S.-Canadian North American Aerospace Defense (NORAD) Command said two Russian bombers violated U.S. airspace near Alaska during recent arctic war games.

Disclosure by the command in charge of U.S. homeland defense followed a report in the Free Beacon quoting U.S. officials who said the Russian aircraft had threatened U.S. air space but did not cross into it and were met over the Pacific by U.S. F-15 interceptor jets.

“There was a single out-of-area patrol by two Russian
long range bombers which entered the Alaska ADIZ that were visually
identified by NORAD fighters,” John Cornelio, chief spokesman for Northcom, said in an email response to questions about the recent war games.

ADIZ is the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone, a line of airspace surrounding Alaska used by the military to monitor aircraft threats.

On Capitol Hill, a senior House Republican expressed concern over the Russian war games.

“These latest reported actions show what the Russian Federation thinks of the ‘reset’ the Obama administration desperately continues to push,” said Rep. Michael R. Turner (R., Ohio), chairman of the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee.

“Incursions into our airspace, along with their threats to attack our missile defense systems, show President Putin’s aggression in the face of President Obama’s ‘flexibility,’” said Turner.

Turner was referring to open-microphone comments made by the president during a meeting in March with then-Russian President Dmitri Medvedev. Obama was overheard telling the Russian leader not to pressure him during the election and promising “more flexibility” in negotiations with Moscow on missile defenses after his presumed reelection.

Washington and Moscow remain at odds over U.S. and NATO plans to deploy missile defenses in Europe that Russia regards as a threat to its strategic forces and that the United States insists will be limited for use against Iranian missiles.

Cornelio, the Northcom spokesman, identified the Russian aircraft were Tu-95MS bombers that “are capable of carrying a variety of payloads, including
nuclear weapons.”

“NORAD continues to monitor and identify all flights approaching the Air
Defense Identification Zone,” he said, noting that Russian jets observed international flight rules and their activities “were conducted in a professional manner.”

“As is their right, the Russian Air Force continues to fly in international airspace,” Cornelio said.

Cornelio declined to answer further questions, including whether the Russians notified the United State in advance of the Alaska air intrusions and whether national command authorities were notified.

Cornelio sought to play down the Russian’s arctic war games, which a Russian military spokesman said simulated attacks on “enemy air defenses” and other strategic targets.

“Russia and NORAD routinely exercise their capability to operate in
the North,” Cornelio said. “These exercises are important to both NORAD and Russia and are not
cause for alarm.”

The spokesman said the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone is not a “defense line” but a zone of identification marking air space.

He said the majority of the Russian exercises were “conducted mostly within Russian airspace and
over the central Arctic Ocean, far from the Alaskan and Canadian Air Defense
Identification Zones.”

Other defense officials said the exercises, which began June 18, coincided with the meeting in Mexico between Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Obama. Both leaders appeared unfriendly toward each other in photos and videos of the summit encounter.

Officials said the administration made no protest of the incursions and kept details of the transit into U.S. airspace secret until the exercises appeared in the U.S. press.

Some 30 strategic nuclear bombers and support aircraft, including refueling tankers and airborne warning and control aircraft, took part in the maneuvers that ended Monday.

They included the Bear H and Tu-160 Blackjack nuclear-capable bombers.

The arctic exercises by the Russians are raising concerns among European and North American governments regarding efforts by Moscow to seek control over the resource-rich arctic territory, a strategic transit point for international bombers since the Cold War.

Defense officials believe the Russian war games simulated strikes using long-range cruise missiles against the U.S. missile defense interceptor base at Fort Greely, Alaska, as well as strikes on strategic radar systems based on the Aleutian island chain.

The maneuvers also likely practiced targeting the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline.

A Russian military spokesman, Air Force Lt. Col. Vladimir Deryabin, was quoted in Russian press reports as saying the purpose of strategic exercise involved “practice destruction of enemy air defenses and strategic facilities.”

http://tinyurl.com/6mdrcxe

This is nothing new,in the late 80,s The big Russian Bears Used to fly down are coastline,we sent up fighters to run em off we do the same to them.

[armoredman]

Hell, I had Bears buzzing me at sea in the 80s, we'd flip them off as they went over.
It could signify a shift back into the Cold War, or it could be a mistake. Since we have the weakest President in history, it's probably Putin deciding he has nothing to lose and everything to gain going back into Cold War gear, and Dear leader's "flexibility" will encourage him. Wonder if we'll see Russian tanks in Prague again?

[jack404]

Wonder if we'll see Russian tanks in Prague again?

Georgia Moldova Chechnya Kazakhstan first

[raven818]

A Russian military spokesman, Air Force Lt. Col. Vladimir Deryabin, was quoted in Russian press reports as saying the purpose of strategic exercise involved “practice destruction of enemy air defenses and strategic facilities.”

Things have really soured because of our recent condemnation of Russia's, in our opinion, Human Rights violations. They have been coming after h. clinton hot and heavy because she has gone public with it. They do not want the rest of the ( civilized ) world to get on board with us at the UN.

The remark above from vladimir, is not meant to be some kind of political double-speak. It's a direct threat to us if we don't back off the Human Rights issue.

I'm trembling right now.

[permafrost]

When the lion is percieved as weak, the hyenas start to close in.

[ryan42]

They can growl all they want but Russia doesnt come close to matching our technology.Russia wouldnt have a chance.Dont count our military out its second to none.

[mranum]

Originally Posted by ryan42

They can growl all they want but Russia doesnt come close to matching our technology.Russia wouldnt have a chance.Dont count our military out its second to none.

Its not the quality of our military that concerns me, its the politically correct, infantile, sociopathic politicians that control it.

[carver]

I'm wondering how long it will take Obozo to appoligize to Russia for this incident!

[Bobitis]

Like we've never done anything like that.

If Russia (or anyone else) wanted to attack the US, they wouldn't use planes or ships. WAY to slow. They'd shoot missles at us.

Better yet, let us destroy ourselves from within. We seem to be getting pretty good at that.

[TheGunClinger]

Originally Posted by carver

I'm wondering how long it will take Obozo to appoligize to Russia for this incident!

Good one.

[raven818]

Overseas Contingency Operations, is a politically correct terminology for folks who, in private industry, keep an eye on our enemies in locations our government would not necessarily want to be discovered.

“These latest reported actions show what the Russian Federation thinks of the ‘reset’ the Obama administration desperately continues to push,” said Rep. Michael R. Turner (R., Ohio), chairman of the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee.

“Incursions into our airspace, along with their threats to attack our missile defense systems, show President Putin’s aggression in the face of President Obama’s ‘flexibility,’” said Turner.

It's mind boggling how many of our allies are now concerned to the point that they have doubts about us, and what we really stand for.

It's equally amazing how many of our enemies no longer seem to consider us a threat. Our leader has, in short time, turned over two countries to the MBH ( Libya and Egypt ). We got out of Iraq, that's working out as expected. We're leaving Afghanistan in 2014. The Taliban is now stronger there, and in Pakistan. And all we can definitively say about those two wars is, we've lost approximately 6000 American lives.

I would not necessarily say I look forward to any war, but, if any country want's to put themselves on front-street and come after us, why waste time? We should not leave any operations area asking ourselves, did we win or not. Whats the point ( rhetorical ).

The UN ( France really ) ordered us to takes out Gaddafi. We've stood by and watched the election of the first president in 7000 years get elected in Egypt, and he's also MBH. Next, the buzz started a couple days ago, directed to the UN by the UK, to take out Assad. The contingency plan is to get him gone, and turn the country over to the folks who seek democracy.
Uh, what? Haven't we been there and done that enough? Democracy?

That's not civil war is going on there.

I can't blame our allies at all for backing up a bit, and taking a closer look at us. I would too.