Article

2007-11-27 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Mr. Putin's Thanksgiving Gift: F22s intercept Bear H's over Alaska on T-Day

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by 3dc 2007-11-27 00:00|| || Front Page|| [4 views ] Top

#1 In a sidenote, the Russian MOD said that they knew they were F-22's cuz they couldn't see 'em.

Posted by Almost Anonymous5839">Almost Anonymous5839 2007-11-27 00:46|| 2007-11-27 00:46|| Front Page Top

#2 Under the F-22 tag link on this article:

Under engagement rules, "red air" fighters were required to exit the area and "regenerate" before re-entering the fight. The adversary [F-15] jet did just that; an F-22 pilot apparently thought his opponent was still "dead" and paid for that mistake.

Looks like the F-22 pilots' challenge is to decide what not to kill!

Posted by gorb 2007-11-27 02:06|| 2007-11-27 02:06|| Front Page Top

#3 I bet those pilots pooped themselves when a F-22 just appears outside their cockpit.

Posted by DarthVader">DarthVader 2007-11-27 07:03|| 2007-11-27 07:03|| Front Page Top

#4 From the article:

One of the photographs taken during the intercept reportedly shows the F-22's shadow falling across the fuselage of the Bear H.

Couldn't have said it better. That Bear crew had to have been VERY nervous.

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2007-11-27 09:00|| 2007-11-27 09:00|| Front Page Top

#5 A few observations:

1. Are we sure they were Tu-95 Bomber configurations instead of the Tu-95 Sub Hunter config.
2. Did they seem to carry ordinance - like Nukes?
3. In the September intercept we used F-15's - I wonder if this was a test to see the F-22 intercept capability?
4. Did we make any counter-threat passes at them to judge speed and approach tactics while they were there like sitting ducks?

Posted by Jack is Back!">Jack is Back! 2007-11-27 09:29|| 2007-11-27 09:29|| Front Page Top

#6 Some random guesses until someone who actually knows stuff pipes up:

1) external pods and other sensor thingies
2) that stuff being carried internally, who knows? Guessing is just part of the fun!
3) F-22s are what was deployed nearby
4) It is considered mean to harass aircraft in international airspace. Dangerous too. Remember China vs P3 incident?

Posted by SteveS 2007-11-27 10:06|| 2007-11-27 10:06|| Front Page Top

#7 "that stuff being carried internally, who knows? Guessing is just part of the fun!
"

IIRC during the Cold War, part of the protocol was for the bombers to open the bomb bay doors so the fighter pilots could inspect it.

Al

Posted by Frozen Al 2007-11-27 10:46|| 2007-11-27 10:46|| Front Page Top

#8 Did we make any counter-threat passes at them to judge speed and approach tactics while they were there like sitting ducks?

During Cold War there were mutually agreed rules aimed at avoiding shooting incidents between aircrafts of both sides. Like the bomber never pointing her defensive armament towards the fighter and the latter never illuminating the bomber with her fire-control radar. My guess is that making the kind of passes you suggest would have been another big No-No.

Posted by JFM">JFM 2007-11-27 11:10|| 2007-11-27 11:10|| Front Page Top

#9 And why were they allowed to exit our airspace without landing for inspection, under threat of shoot-down?

Posted by mojo">mojo 2007-11-27 15:17|| 2007-11-27 15:17|| Front Page Top

#10 If they were in US airspace they should have been shot down without warning.

Posted by Laurence of the Rats">Laurence of the Rats 2007-11-27 15:32|| 2007-11-27 15:32|| Front Page Top

#11 Jack, if I had a photograph, I could probably tell you. Without it, who knows?

These aircraft never actually ENTERED US airspace, but probably did enter the the FIR (fighter intercept region) or ADIZ (air defense identification zone). The BEAR H can carry two 1500-mile-range standoff attack missiles, plus at least two internal weapons. They have specific radar and electronic signatures that can be picked up by ground stations. I doubt they were mis-identified.

Posted by Old Patriot">Old Patriot 2007-11-27 15:34|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]">[http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/] 2007-11-27 15:34|| Front Page Top

#12 This was an interesting quote from the article, "which were detected at long range by radar and intelligence systems".

Particularly the part about intelligence systems. I wonder if that refers to the Bear's pilot or co-pilot?

Posted by Glung McGurque2454 2007-11-27 18:47|| 2007-11-27 18:47|| Front Page Top

#13 ION. NOSI.org > THE NAVY'S NEW FLAT-EARTH STRATEGY + FOURTH GENERATION WARFARE - UNHERALDED SUCCESSES + GEOPOLITICS/INDIA: NEW US STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP/OPPORTUNITY WITH INDIA.

CHINESE MIL FORUM Poster > USA BACK IN THE PHILIPINES WID CHINA CONTAINMENT STRATEGY, vv ASIA TIMES > HOW THE US GOT ITS PHILIPINES BASES BACK artikle.

Posted by JosephMendiola 2007-11-27 21:44|| 2007-11-27 21:44|| Front Page Top

#14 Interesting Thanksgiving. China refuses a carrier into Hong Kong and the Russians make a challenge on Alaskan airspace.

Posted by rjschwarz 2007-11-27 23:35|| 2007-11-27 23:35|| Front Page Top

23:35 rjschwarz
23:34 Glung McGurque2454
23:30 rjschwarz
23:29 rjschwarz
23:29 rjschwarz
23:21 OldSpook
23:17 OldSpook
23:16 OldSpook
23:06 3dc
23:04 danking70
23:03 Zenster
22:59 rjschwarz
22:56 trailing wife
22:55 rjschwarz
22:54 Zenster
22:54 JosephMendiola
22:49 trailing wife
22:49 Secret Master
22:47 Zenster
22:45 Glung McGurque2454
22:44 KBK
22:41 KBK
22:38 Zenster
22:37 trailing wife