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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
'Overstretched' Russian air force suffers three jet crashes in five days
2015-06-10
[Newsweek] A Russian air force TU-95s "Bear" bomber has ignited while on a practice flight, in the third crash of a Russian jet in the last five days, prompting concern that the Kremlin might be overexerting the armed forces to display military might.

In the past year, Russia has increased the number of armed forces drills and practises in response to worsening diplomatic relations with the West over the war in Ukraine. Its air force has dramatically increased the number of unannounced patrol flights near European territory, as states such as the Baltics and Great Britain have been repeatedly forced to escort Russian jets away from their airspace.

Now the same model of jet which Russia flew off the coast of Bournemouth in January, prompting an RAF scramble, has skidded off a runway at a military practice base in Russia's Siberian Amurskaya region after a fire ignited in its engine during training flights, Russian news agency Interfax reported last night. The TU-95s which was involved in the accident flew without missiles on board.
Related TASS article.
Posted by:Besoeker

#10  Lightnings FTW!

/gawd bless anglish 'lectric
Posted by: Shipman   2015-06-10 23:49  

#9  Test his capabilitiies. Do similar test runs on Russia and watch the strain kill his skilled pilots and crews. Two can play at "destruction by lack of maintenance"
Posted by: Frank G   2015-06-10 20:46  

#8  The Aviationist Blog is reporting another Bear caught fire, skidded off the runway, one dead, one seriously injured and as a result all TU-95s are grounded pending investigation.
Posted by: USN, Ret.   2015-06-10 17:26  

#7  Cor, Bears on the prowl! Pressure heightening!
Their growling and charging's so frightening!
It's just so bloody tense
That to break the suspense
We shall fly intercepts in a Lightning.
Posted by: Zenobia Floger6220   2015-06-10 14:41  

#6  Keep up the pace Pootie. You are really starting to scare us. Really.

*snicker*
Posted by: DarthVader   2015-06-10 13:07  

#5  Understretching - you're doing it wrong.
Posted by: Hupineger Glomomp52169   2015-06-10 09:06  

#4  And for fun, do it in the worst weather conditions, particularly over their 'return' base.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2015-06-10 08:21  

#3  That's why the 'West' should play the same game the Russkies are playing. Force them to scramble their aircraft frequently to up their tempo and maintenance which they'll have a hard time doing.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2015-06-10 08:20  

#2  That's the problem with accelerated op tempos; running around, showing the flag, gathering intel, and generally giving people the hairy eyeball wears out equipment almost as fast as having a shooting war. Practicing is hard work.
Posted by: ed in texas   2015-06-10 07:25  

#1  "Yuri, you lost another plane?"
Posted by: Raj   2015-06-10 00:36  

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