Russia Revives Long Range Bomber Force

[ORAC]

Russian Bomber Revives Long-Haul Mission (http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=2957949&C=europe)
By DMITRY SOLOVYOV, REUTERS, MOSCOW

MOSCOW — Russia’s strategic bombers have resumed their Cold War practice of flying long-haul missions to areas patrolled by NATO and the U.S., top generals said Aug. 9.

A Russian bomber flew over a U.S. military base on the Pacific island of Guam on Aug. 8 and “exchanged smiles” with U.S. pilots who scrambled to track it, said Maj. Gen. Pavel Androsov, head of long-range aviation in the Russian air force. “It has always been the tradition of our long-range aviation to fly far into the ocean, to meet [U.S.] aircraft carriers and greet [U.S. pilots] visually,” Androsov told a news conference. “Yesterday we revived this tradition, and two of our young crews paid a visit to the area of the [U.S. Pacific Naval Activities] base of Guam.”

President Vladimir Putin has sought to make Russia more assertive in the world. Putin has boosted defense spending and sought to raise morale in the armed forces, which were starved of funding in the chaos that followed the fall of the Soviet Union.

Androsov said the sortie by the two turboprop Tu-95MS bombers, from a base near Blagoveshchensk in the Far East, lasted 13 hours. The Tu-95, code-named “Bear” by NATO, is Russia’s Cold War icon and may stay in service until 2040. “I think the result was good. We met our colleagues — fighter jet pilots from [U.S.] aircraft carriers. We exchanged smiles and returned home,” Androsov said.

Cold War cat-and-mouse

The bombers give Russia the capability of launching a devastating nuclear strike even if the nuclear arsenals on its own territory are wiped out. During the Cold War, they played elaborate airborne games of cat-and-mouse with Western air forces.

Lt. Gen. Igor Khvorov, air forces chief of staff, said the West would have to come to terms with Russia asserting its geopolitical presence around the globe. “But I don’t see anything unusual. This is business as usual ... like it is normal for the U.S. to fly from its continent to Guam or, say, the island of [Diego} Garcia,” Khvorov said.

Young pilots of strategic bombers passed a series of tests Aug. 8, including missile launches. “We fired eight cruise missiles, and all hit bull’s eye,” Khvorov said.

He said one crew had taken off from Engels in southwestern Russia, hit a target in the north and then flown thousands of kilometers before landing in the Far East.Engels is home to Russia’s supersonic Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bombers, in service since 1987 and code-named “Blackjack” by NATO while called “White Swan” by Russian pilots.

The generals said that, under Putin, long-range aviation no longer needs fuel, enjoys better maintenance and personnel receive higher wages — not the least because the Kremlin leader once made a five-hour sortie as part of a Tu-160 crew. “The president learned about the pilots’ work the hard way,” Khvorov said. “This one flight yielded an awful lot.”

[Stuff]

The generals said that, under Putin, long-range aviation no longer needs fuel


Dear god! I know he's a powerful man but has he really commissioned a fleet of perpetual motion strategic bombers? :\:confused:

[MarkD]

If he's not careful he'll soon find out what it's like to be on the receiving end of coal-fired B-52s (http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2007/06/airforce_coalfuel_070616/) :E

[Diedtrying]

Weren't the old 747 200s coal burners. :p:E

[Stitchbitch]

So is the next headline 'Britain Revives Long Range fighter Force'?
Good job the F.3 is still on the streets. Bet the Bear drivers are cr&pping themselves... ;)

[TEEEJ]

Looks like the Tu-95s never came close enough to warrant an intercept.

http://www.kuam.com/news/23950.aspx

http://www.kuam.com/news/23941.aspx

[moggiee]

The generals said that, under Putin, long-range aviation no longer needs fuel, enjoys better maintenance and personnel receive higher wages — not the least because the Kremlin leader once made a five-hour sortie as part of a Tu-160 crew. “The president learned about the pilots’ work the hard way,” Khvorov said. “This one flight yielded an awful lot.”
Isn't it nice that someone has politicians who take the time to find out what their armed forces actually do?

[ORAC]

Looks like Elmendorf will be busy. I wonder if the Russians are hoping for their first intercept by an F-22....

Elmendorf welcomes F-22A Raptor (http://www.elmendorf.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123063863)

Russian Nuclear Bombers Hold Exercises Over North Pole (http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=2968252&C=europe)

Russian strategic bombers on August 14 began five days of exercises over the North Pole, marking the latest in a series of displays of Moscow’s military muscle. The nuclear-capable bombers will practice firing cruise missiles, navigation in the polar region and aerial refueling maneuvers, the Russian air force said in a statement.

The exercises come barely a week after Russian strategic Tu-95 bombers flew over the Pacific to within a few hundred kilometers (miles) of the U.S. military base on the island of Guam — and, according to a Russian general, exchanged grins with US fighter pilots sent to intercept. They also follow recent attempts by Moscow to bolster Russia’s territorial claims in the Arctic region.

One Russian air force officer, who asked not to be identified, told AFP he expected U.S. interceptors would once again make their presence felt during this week’s exercises. “It is a traditional practice for military pilots to see foreign pilots come up to meet them and say to hello,” he said. “The United States are aware of our exercise,” he added.

Russia’s long-range bombers have been involved in a number of other exercises in recent months. On July 20, Norway and Britain scrambled its fighter planes after Norway detected Russian bombers flying over the North sea between Norway and Britain.

About 20 Russian aircraft will take part in the polar exercises: TU-95s (Tupolevs) a long-range strategic bomber; TU-22s, the strategic supersonic bomber most used by Russia; and Il-78s (Ilyushins), a four-engine aerial refueling aircraft.

[ORAC]

Torygraph: Russia to resume Cold War bomber flights (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=BL2H0EKPKVGZ1QFIQMGCFF4AVCBQUIV0?xml=/news/2007/08/17/wputin217.xml)

Russia will immediately resume long-range strategic bomber flights on a "permanent" basis, ending a 15-year suspension of the missions, President Vladimir Putin has said.

Mr Putin said a halt in long-range bombers' flights after the Soviet collapse had affected Russia's security as other nations had continued such missions - a oblique reference to the US.

"I have made a decision to resume regular flights of Russian strategic aviation," he said. "Starting today, such tours of duty will be conducted regularly and on a strategic scale. Our pilots have been grounded for too long; they are happy to start a new life."

Soviet bombers routinely flew such missions to areas from which nuclear-tipped cruise missiles could be launched at the United States. But that stopped in the post-Soviet economic meltdown.

In Washington, a State Department Spokesman said the US was not troubled by the decision. "It's interesting. We certainly are not in the kind of posture we were with what used to be the Soviet Union. It's a different era. If Russia feels as though they want to take some of these old aircraft out of mothballs and get them flying again, that's their decision."

Mr Putin's comments came as he and his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao, attended an unprecedented show of joint military force amid fears that the Russian leader is trying to turn an increasingly powerful central Asian alliance into a second Warsaw Pact. The United States will be anxiously watching the military manoeuvres - held under the auspices of the six-member Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) - from afar after its request to send observers was rejected.

Washington has plenty of reasons to be uneasy. Founded in 2001, the SCO, which includes the four central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyztan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as well as China and Russia, is rapidly gaining a reputation as an anti-Western organisation. That image seems to be one that Mr Putin is happy to cultivate. Analysts say that the Russian president believes the organisation is emerging as a bloc that is rapidly becoming powerful enough to stand up to the West...............

[ORAC]

BBC: Russia 'renewing bomber patrols' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6950986.stm)

Russia is resuming a Soviet-era practice of sending its bomber aircraft on long-range flights, President Vladimir Putin has said. Mr Putin said the move to resume the flights after a 15 year suspension was in response to security threats posed by other military powers. He said 14 bomber aircraft had taken off from seven airfields across Russia.........

Russian media reported earlier on Friday that long-range bombers had been flying over the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. A Russian air force spokesman said several pairs of bombers were in the air "accompanied by Nato planes," Itar-Tass news agency said. Nato said it was aware of the flights but had no comment on whether the Russian bombers had been accompanied by Nato planes.

Itar-Tass quoted Russian air force spokesman Alexander Drobyshevsky as saying: "At present, several pairs of Tu-160 and Tu-95MS aircraft are in the air over the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, which are accompanied by Nato planes." .......

[Not_a_boffin]

If they get the Backfires up & running again, can we get the Toms back out of AMARC before they all get crunched to stop the Iranians getting parts?

[Gainesy]

You'll have ex-Tomcat maintainers weeping in their Happy Hour Tot.:)

[M609]

Norwegian televison just showed stills from tonights intercepts. (They showed Backfires as well as a Midas refueling a flight of two Foxbats or Foxhounds)
According to Norwegian MOD, 14 aircraft was intercepted. . Two or more QRA aircraft were airborne continuously for 10 hrs from 0300 this morning, 8 aircraft sharing the load. (Bodø Sqns providing the aircraft)
The Russian aircraft simulated profiles for release of strategic weapons according the MOD.

The Russian air force has flown more aircraft west of the North Cape the last month than they have done in 6 months the last few years.


The socialists in our goverment are going to struggle with their plan of not replacing the F-16s when the time comes...... :suspect:

[WE Branch Fanatic]

Not_a_boffin

And some Sea Harriers too? It was, after all, originally intended to intercept, shadow and deal with Bears. The Russians recently visited Exercise Neptune Warrior..........

I do recall seeing a picture of a Bear being shadowed by a Shar.

[barry lloyd]

None of this has anything to do with the fact that there is an election in Russia in May next year?

Technically Mr Putin cannot put himself up for election, but Russia is a country full of surprises, so who knows what will happen...

[scopey]

Of course, if Mr Putin stepped down, some nice pro-Western chap would slide in to power without any opposition. Not the next member of the FSB cabal that's been groomed for the job... :rolleyes:

[glad rag]

I'm sorry WE but my (limited) experience of harrier ops is that they just run out of gogo juice too soon, are too slow and dependent on a sinkable airfield.
Remind me again of the weapon fit vis max endurance of the sea jet please, and lets put this to rest once and for all.

You can only surprise the sleeping bear once......

Nomex donned.

glad rag.

[jez_s]

How much of this new Russian activity do you reckon is down to us deploying Typhoon on QRA and the U.S having the F-22 on guard...I read today in a spotter magazine how our U.S friends deployed some RC135 thingymajigs to Mildenhall and god bless the Boys and girls at Boscombe deployed a BAC 111 with a pod on its belly to happen to be in the same airspace as the Indian Sukoi's in the vain hope of an emission, strikes me as a tit for tat Elint fest!!

[M609]

Convenient that Exercise Northern Wiking took place at Keflavik this week too, but came to an end yesterday! :bored:

[Ontariotech]

I guess someone figured out that a cold war world was better militarily for everyone, than the post cold war world of terrorism, and US dominance in every corner of the planet.

And, what happens to the Open Skies Treaty? Or is that going into the bin?

And what possibly do the Russians have to gain from conducting such activity, from a military standpoint? Obviously, not much. How about politically? Is this in response to the missle shield the US is building in Poland?

[ORAC]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/graphics/2007/08/18/ixd18big.gif

[Gainesy]

I wonder if Pravda is reporting the U-2 and WB-57 flights from UK?:suspect:

I also feel a bit sorry for the Bear mates, just when they'd got their piles under control...

[foxbat68]

Possibly a combination of having the renewed $ resources to fund such activity (via global emand for gas/oil), chance of getting Russian polictial/military presence back onto the world stage and a bit of friendly willy-waving or perhaps it's all in anticipation of a the eventual meltdown in strategic oil/gas resources in the ME and the need for pre-emptive asset protection.

[ORAC]

More pertinent is that, when the Russians withdrew from the CFE treaty, they could be considered within their rights, as the other European nations hadn't ratified it (*because the Russians had failed to adhere to it's conditions in Georgia etc).

But in restarting these flights the Russians are abrogating a nuclear arms treaty they signed with both the UK and USA. In effect, all previous nuclear treaties, such as START I, II etc, can be considered as no more than useless pieces of paper.

Grauniad: (http://www.guardian.co.uk/russia/article/0,,2151237,00.html)..........Last night analysts described Russia's move as a "grave development". They said Mr Putin appeared to have unilaterally abrogated an agreement with the US and Britain signed in 1991 not to engage in long-range nuclear bomber flights.

Russia's then president, Boris Yeltsin, and the former Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, signed the agreement with the then US president George Bush senior. Under it all sides agreed to reduce their strategic rocket forces and to stop long-range bomber flights.

"This is a very grave development that threatens the US with nuclear weapons. It means that Russian bombers will be ready to attack the US at a moment's notice just like in the cold war," said Pavel Felgenhauer, a leading Moscow-based defence analyst. Mr Felgenhauer said the bombers would be deployed in positions north of Britain over the North Pole, from where they would be able to fly across the Pacific or Atlantic to attack US targets.

He also said there was a real risk that bombers equipped with nuclear warheads might crash. "These flights are very dangerous. The planes are old and the maintenance is patchy. Crews are not always as best prepared as in the cold war. A crash with nuclear weapons is very possible," he warned.......

[whatdoesthisbuttondo]

Are the Tu-95s still flying on to Cuba after the GIUK gap?

[Maple 01]

More to the point, did anyone get the door numbers? ;)

[SirToppamHat]

Ontariotech:
And, what happens to the Open Skies Treaty? Or is that going into the bin?

Bl**dy well hope not - just had the jabs!

STH

[Postman Plod]

Grauniad: ..........Last night analysts described Russia's move as a "grave development". They said Mr Putin appeared to have unilaterally abrogated an agreement with the US and Britain signed in 1991 not to engage in long-range nuclear bomber flights.

Russia's then president, Boris Yeltsin, and the former Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, signed the agreement with the then US president George Bush senior. Under it all sides agreed to reduce their strategic rocket forces and to stop long-range bomber flights.

"This is a very grave development that threatens the US with nuclear weapons. It means that Russian bombers will be ready to attack the US at a moment's notice just like in the cold war," said Pavel Felgenhauer, a leading Moscow-based defence analyst. Mr Felgenhauer said the bombers would be deployed in positions north of Britain over the North Pole, from where they would be able to fly across the Pacific or Atlantic to attack US targets.

He also said there was a real risk that bombers equipped with nuclear warheads might crash. "These flights are very dangerous. The planes are old and the maintenance is patchy. Crews are not always as best prepared as in the cold war. A crash with nuclear weapons is very possible," he warned.......

These bombers are flying with nukes??

Or is that just a meeejia scare story?

[Biggus]

If a Russian bomber were armed with nukes and were to crash, and these facts became known to the rest of the world I would have thought the political fallout would be such that even the Kremlin would wish to avoid it!?

Take the risk - or not carry the weapons in times of relative peace? Still, what do I know about strategy/politics!!

[M609]

The duty operations officer at CAOC3 Col. Jan Ove Rygg said the following to a online newspaper over here today:

Rough translation
....a large number of aircraft has flown north of the Finmark coast, continuing south and west in international airspace. Some aircraft has pushed as far south as off the coast of Ireland. Other aircraft are exercising of the coast of Lofoten and Vesteraalen.......

..we can see that the force has elements of strategic bombers, tankers, fighter aircraft and airborne command centers quite like NATO AWACS aircraft. We can see that the force is showing the ability to perform complicated and expensive air operations.

In dialog with the JAOC at the Joint Operational HQ at Stavanger we have had access to more QRA aircraft from Bodø than those usually available to NATO. The cooperation with JAOC, the 132 Airwing at Bodø and the CRCs at Soerreisa and Maageroe has been excellent....

http://vol.no/aktuelt/?F=A&N=8682

http://vol.no/Nyhetsbilder/images/2007/8/QRA_-_foto_331_og_332_skvadr.jpg
Picture taken early yesterday

According to the paper Nordlys, no Russian aircraft was reported off the coast today saturday. They published this image:
http://multimedia.api.no/www.siste.no/dynamic/01395/20070818-019_1395173m.jpg

[Lima Juliet]

The "Peace Dividend" is over...standby for a 27% increase in defence spending to match the Russians (Yeah, right!). This article does make interesting reading though.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/19/wputin119.xml

Top quotes:

Intelligence sources say Washington and London have been taken aback by just how seriously Russia has viewed the perceived slight and admit that in concentrating so heavily on Iraq and al-Qaeda, they took their eyes off the ball

A source close to the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, who cut her teeth in government as a Kremlinologist in the Eighties, said that Middle East issues had diverted her attention from a more rigorous engagement with Moscow.

"She wants to spend more time on Russia but that hasn't always been possible. She said to me that she regrets the fact that she has not done enough on what is, after all, her major area of expertise."


The latest developments have exacerbated an already tense situation. Russia has responded angrily to US plans to station an anti-missile system in the Czech republic and Poland by threatening to site its own missiles in Kaliningrad to counter the threat. Earlier this summer Mr Putin upped the ante by threatening to target US strategic nuclear sites in Europe. Tensions with Britain over the murder of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko have prompted tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats, while on Friday the BBC's World Service was thrown off Russian FM radio.


But perhaps the only positive that Britain can draw from Russia's military resurgence is that its new Typhoon fighter aircraft, purchased at about £20 billion to counter a Cold War threat, might finally have found a worthy adversary.


Russian defence spending rose by 22 per cent and 27 per cent in the past two years and could be up as much as 30 per cent this year. In February, Sergei Ivanov, then defence secretary and now one of the front-runners to replace Mr Putin next year, announced a £100 billion programme of expenditure.

Here it is in picture form for the Pongos:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/graphics/2007/08/19/wputin119big.gif

I guess the PR08 will have to be re-done now then???

LJ

[tubby linton]

As Mr P has decided to resume sightseeing flights I was just wondering what sort of altitude do they operate at and how do they keep clear of civvy traffic?

[M609]

Bear activity
As Mr P has decided to resume sightseeing flights I was just wondering what sort of altitude do they operate at and how do they keep clear of civvy traffic?

I've seen the QRA follow aircraft well into the higher flight levels.
Must be interesting when they get as far south as into the more densely used NAT routes off Ireland and Scotland. No transponder on the Russians, so no TCAS


When they are within range of the radars of the AW chain here in Norway, the CRCs alerts the ACCs when they see the Russians in the general vicinity of civilian traffic. Actually, back in the bad old days when we had only 4nm territorial waters here, several approach units had Russian aircraft mixed into their radar pattern. (Inside class D TMA) Still, when they are that close, F-16s are in attendance!

Otherwise it's happy go lucky I'm afraid. Still, NATO aircraft flying in controlled airspace (Outside 12nm) in similar fashion is not that uncommon either, but at least they use transponders more of the time.

[Archimedes]

Did the person who did the graphic for the Torygraph bother to check whether the MiG-23 is still in use with Mr Putin's air force?:\

[West Coast]

"Russian aircraft mixed into their radar pattern"

I should hope the controllers added the bear in to the traffic count for the day. Have to justify pay raises any way you can.

[ORAC]

Bears operate around FL360. When they came down the North Sea and/or around Ireland they'd just fly straight through the airways/air routes. I've had them miss airliners by a few hundred feet.

I can vividly recall one gaggle of 2 x Bear B, Q1 & Q2, Tansor, the Ramstein Battle Flight and the Danes heading down the North Sea towards a 747 on one of the upper air routes and calling the LATCC controller to let him know the Bears were at the same level on a collision course.

"Who', he asked indignantly, "is controlling them?'

"I'm not sure", I replied, "But try Moscow"......

[BOAC]

In the 'bad old days' (deja vue?) the Badgers came down below 1000' off the Firth of Forth. I don't think they were speaking to 'Scottish' or Edinburgh approach..

[MarkD]

Typhoons intercept Bears (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/21/nraf121.xml) (Telegraph)

[nigegilb]

M609, I am just back from Norway and saddened to hear about the norwegian socialist party preventing the military from operating with a free hand in Afghanistan. I spent some time in Norway on detachment and always rated the Norwegians highly. I think the socialists are doing real harm to the international perception of the Norwegian contribution to NATO. Presumably they are happy to accept the support of NATO for the northern flank. Wondered what you think. Also hope that someone is hitting them where it hurts politically. Afg is on a knife edge just now.

[MarkD]

It looks like Canada will not be at the sharp end in Afghanistan post 2009. Harper talked to Bush yesterday at the Three Fiascos summit and the Americans have been made aware (summit speak, obviously nothing the US didn't already know) that parliamentary approval for another extension is unlikely to be forthcoming, with the New Democrats wanting to talk to the Taliban and pull all troops out immediately and the BQ and the Liberals (the latter having committed the CF to Kandahar) wanting them out in 2009.

[nigegilb]

Canadians have had a tough time. I sincerely wish we could create a coalition of English speaking nations. That would include the bilingual Scandinavians if they could resist their socialist urges. NATO looks weak at the mo. Afg mission looks even weaker.

Sorry for thread creep. Pleased for the Typhoon backers though, at least they have something to cheer, the good, bad old days are back.

[Pontius Navigator]

Well, like the old saying goes, you don't put on a condom, unless your going to :mad:.
And our jets that are scrambled to meet these Bear Bombers, are they armed? You bet. It would not be a big stretch to say the Russians Bears are armed with nukes.

I recall a crash by a Bear on to Jan Mayen possibly late 60s early 70s. It was one of a pair and the other did not know the crash location. There was no nuclear issue with this crash.

There would be nothing to be gained by carrying nukes in peactime especially with the ever present potential for a defection.

[M609]

Wondered what you think

The fact that every party in the Norwegian parliament apart from the Socialist (SV) was ready to back a proposal to send the Telemark Batallion battle group the Helmand last winter (In addition to the Bn in Mazar i S.)summs it up really.

They (SV) have Norway leaving NATO in their charter, and since they are in a coalition goverment, they are throwing all sorts of wreches in the works. A party with 6,8% of the votes has Veto'ed a lot. They put a caveat on the deployment of 150 SOF soldiers in the spring. Just 6 months, and not outside the Kabul region. Embarrasing! :ugh:
5 or 6 F-16s would have been in Afg. this summer too, had it not been for them.

Mind you they are not as bad as the communists (RV), their leader called the killing of a Norwegian SF soldier by the Taliban last month "a just defence against Nato aggresion". :ugh::ugh:

To steer the tread back onto the Russians, the socialst haven't got the guts to say what they really mean: They don't want help from NATO.
Thankfully their 2 coaltion partners are strong Nato supporters.

I wonder if they rally know who has paid for 75% of the cost of the three last AW radars in the Bardufoss and North Cape areas at a cost of 132 million £.
:mad::mad::mad::mad: