"U.S. fighters ID bombers near Alaska: Russian flights smack of ColdWar"

The Washington Times
June 26, 2008 Thursday
Russian flights smack of Cold War;
U.S. fighters ID bombers near Alaska

BYLINE: By Rowan Scarborough, THE WASHINGTON TIMES

SECTION: PAGE ONE; EXCLUSIVE; A01

Russian bombers have stepped up provocative flight exercises off the
Alaskan coast, reminiscent of Cold War incursions designed to rattle
U.S. air defenses.

U.S. Northern Command, which protects North American airspace, told
The Washington Times that TU-95 Bear bombers on 18 occasions the past
year have skirted a 12-mile air defense identification zone that
protects Alaska. The incursions prompted F-15s and F-22 Raptor
fighters to scramble from Elmendorf Air Force Base and intercept the
warplanes. The last incident happened in May.

The venerable propeller-driven TU-95 came to symbolize the Cold War,
as did its counterpart, the U.S. B-52 Stratofortress.

"They have flown close enough to deem it necessary to ID and monitor
them," said Maj. Allen Herritage, a base spokesman. "They come. We ID.
We go back to our base. They go back to their base." Elmendorf is
headquarters for the Alaskan region of the North American Aerospace
Defense Command (NORAD).

Air defense identification zones are military boundaries designed to
guard the U.S. and Canada against attack. To enter the zones legally,
pilots must file flight plans with air controllers. Russian bombers do
not file flight plans, so U.S. and Canadian jets are required to
scramble to identify the planes and warn them away from the area.

"They have not been filing a flight plan and that is the problem,"
Maj. Herritage said.

Moscow's sophisticated show of force has some in the Pentagon paying
more attention to the long-term goals of a Russian military, which is
being rebuilt with proceeds from the country's huge oil and gas
revenues. NORAD is more sensitive than ever to wayward aircraft, given
the Sept. 11 attacks by hijackers and the lack of military
coordination at the time to track, and perhaps destroy, the planes.

Adm. Michael G. Mullen, the Joint Chiefs chairman, talked on Monday of
"the challenges we have with a resurgent Russia" while addressing
Pentagon workers at a town-hall-style meeting.

Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr., chief of NorthCom, said earlier this month
that "I think the Russians are not a near-term military threat," while
noting they had "renewed" military flights over the polar region. This
is the route U.S. or Russian bombers would travel to bomb the other's
country.

"I think we do have to make sure, you know, post-9/11 world, that we
never let an unidentified aircraft come into our airspace, and that we
determine who they are and what they're doing, and if it is a Russian
aircraft on a training mission, we allow them to continue to do their
job," Gen. Renuart said on WUSA-TV's "This Week in Defense News."

Although Gen. Renuart downplayed the incursions, other air-power
authorities said Vladimir Putin, as Russian president, began flexing
his military's muscle last year as a message to Washington.

"Putin is trying to get the military rejuvenated and trying to show
they are a military power," said retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Thomas G.
McInerney, who commanded NORAD's Alaska region. "He's doing it for a
whole host of things. It's really muscle-flexing."

When told that 18 Russian incursions had been reported in 12 months,
Mr. McInerney said, "That's a lot."

Mr. Putin, who relinquished the presidency in May and is now prime
minister, has been at odds with President Bush over NATO expansion and
the invasion of Iraq. At times, he has made strong anti-U.S.
statements that stirred Cold War memories.

A NorthCom statement to The Times said, "Russia has indicated in open
press reporting its intention to proceed with navigation and
operational training."

Mr. McInerney said the incursions are the most sophisticated since the
Cold War. He made the assessment based on an Air Force briefing he
received last fall at Elmendorf.

The retired general called the exercises "coordinated attacks coming
into our air defense identification zone. They are very sophisticated
attack training maneuvers. These incursions are far more sophisticated
than anything we had seen before."

He said the Russian army air force is launching Bear bombers from
Tiksi on the Arctic Ocean and Anadyr in Siberia. They are flying
against the air defense identification zone from both the polar caps
and from the south. The Air Force statement said it has "monitored
Russian aircraft taking off from a variety of air bases across their
country."

On Jun 29, 8:37 am, Mike wrote:
The Washington Times
June 26, 2008 Thursday
Russian flights smack of Cold War;
U.S. fighters ID bombers near Alaska

BYLINE: By Rowan Scarborough, THE WASHINGTON TIMES

SECTION: PAGE ONE; EXCLUSIVE; A01

Russian bombers have stepped up provocative flight exercises off the
Alaskan coast, reminiscent of Cold War incursions designed to rattle
U.S. air defenses.

U.S. Northern Command, which protects North American airspace, told
The Washington Times that TU-95 Bear bombers on 18 occasions the past
year have skirted a 12-mile air defense identification zone that
protects Alaska. The incursions prompted F-15s and F-22 Raptor
fighters to scramble from Elmendorf Air Force Base and intercept the
warplanes. The last incident happened in May.

The venerable propeller-driven TU-95 came to symbolize the Cold War,
as did its counterpart, the U.S. B-52 Stratofortress.

"They have flown close enough to deem it necessary to ID and monitor
them," said Maj. Allen Herritage, a base spokesman. "They come. We ID.
We go back to our base. They go back to their base." Elmendorf is
headquarters for the Alaskan region of the North American Aerospace
Defense Command (NORAD).

Air defense identification zones are military boundaries designed to
guard the U.S. and Canada against attack. To enter the zones legally,
pilots must file flight plans with air controllers. Russian bombers do
not file flight plans, so U.S. and Canadian jets are required to
scramble to identify the planes and warn them away from the area.

"They have not been filing a flight plan and that is the problem,"
Maj. Herritage said.

Moscow's sophisticated show of force has some in the Pentagon paying
more attention to the long-term goals of a Russian military, which is
being rebuilt with proceeds from the country's huge oil and gas
revenues. NORAD is more sensitive than ever to wayward aircraft, given
the Sept. 11 attacks by hijackers and the lack of military
coordination at the time to track, and perhaps destroy, the planes.

Adm. Michael G. Mullen, the Joint Chiefs chairman, talked on Monday of
"the challenges we have with a resurgent Russia" while addressing
Pentagon workers at a town-hall-style meeting.

Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr., chief of NorthCom, said earlier this month
that "I think the Russians are not a near-term military threat," while
noting they had "renewed" military flights over the polar region. This
is the route U.S. or Russian bombers would travel to bomb the other's
country.

"I think we do have to make sure, you know, post-9/11 world, that we
never let an unidentified aircraft come into our airspace, and that we
determine who they are and what they're doing, and if it is a Russian
aircraft on a training mission, we allow them to continue to do their
job," Gen. Renuart said on WUSA-TV's "This Week in Defense News."

Although Gen. Renuart downplayed the incursions, other air-power
authorities said Vladimir Putin, as Russian president, began flexing
his military's muscle last year as a message to Washington.

"Putin is trying to get the military rejuvenated and trying to show
they are a military power," said retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Thomas G.
McInerney, who commanded NORAD's Alaska region. "He's doing it for a
whole host of things. It's really muscle-flexing."

When told that 18 Russian incursions had been reported in 12 months,
Mr. McInerney said, "That's a lot."

Mr. Putin, who relinquished the presidency in May and is now prime
minister, has been at odds with President Bush over NATO expansion and
the invasion of Iraq. At times, he has made strong anti-U.S.
statements that stirred Cold War memories.

A NorthCom statement to The Times said, "Russia has indicated in open
press reporting its intention to proceed with navigation and
operational training."

Mr. McInerney said the incursions are the most sophisticated since the
Cold War. He made the assessment based on an Air Force briefing he
received last fall at Elmendorf.

The retired general called the exercises "coordinated attacks coming
into our air defense identification zone. They are very sophisticated
attack training maneuvers. These incursions are far more sophisticated
than anything we had seen before."

He said the Russian army air force is launching Bear bombers from
Tiksi on the Arctic Ocean and Anadyr in Siberia. They are flying
against the air defense identification zone from both the polar caps
and from the south. The Air Force statement said it has "monitored
Russian aircraft taking off from a variety of air bases across their
country."

Anyone else besides the Moonie paper see this happen?

On Jun 29, 10:38 am, Jack Linthicum
wrote:

Anyone else besides the Moonie paper see this happen?

I've seen some reports in Reuters about it, can't find them offhand.
Whether anyone but the Moonie paper thinks this is actually a big deal
is another question entirely.

-JTD

"Mike" wrote in message
...
The Washington Times
June 26, 2008 Thursday
Russian flights smack of Cold War;
U.S. fighters ID bombers near Alaska

BYLINE: By Rowan Scarborough, THE WASHINGTON TIMES

SECTION: PAGE ONE; EXCLUSIVE; A01

Russian bombers have stepped up provocative flight exercises off the
Alaskan coast, reminiscent of Cold War incursions designed to rattle
U.S. air defenses.

"Rattle".....they simply probe.....glad to see they were promptly
intercepted,
and they got to see the F-22 up close.....

Mark
--
"Drinking booze and raising rifles helps me through and through."
---Berzerkers, Black Label Society


** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

On Jun 29, 11:17 am, Jeff Dougherty
wrote:
On Jun 29, 10:38 am, Jack Linthicum
wrote:



Anyone else besides the Moonie paper see this happen?

I've seen some reports in Reuters about it, can't find them offhand.
Whether anyone but the Moonie paper thinks this is actually a big deal
is another question entirely.

-JTD

One of the clues is usually the lack of definite dates. That often
means it happened maybe a few months ago, maybe last year. "18
occasions the past
year have skirted a 12-mile air defense identification zone that
protects Alaska." That could be 17 times on one flight and once on
another with your definition of "skirted" open to question. One
example with dates, March 26, 'February' (10th) and then a photograph
92 days later. http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/26/us.russian.planes/
http://digg.com/politics/USAF_F_22A_...s_O ff_Alaska

Flight picked up by radar 500 miles out.

Mark Test wrote:
"Mike" wrote in message
...
The Washington Times
June 26, 2008 Thursday
Russian flights smack of Cold War;
U.S. fighters ID bombers near Alaska

BYLINE: By Rowan Scarborough, THE WASHINGTON TIMES

SECTION: PAGE ONE; EXCLUSIVE; A01

Russian bombers have stepped up provocative flight exercises off the
Alaskan coast, reminiscent of Cold War incursions designed to rattle
U.S. air defenses.

"Rattle".....they simply probe.....glad to see they were promptly
intercepted,
and they got to see the F-22 up close.....

Mark
Which is probably exactly what they were doing, getting a look at F-22s.

Jack Linthicum wrote:
On Jun 29, 8:37 am, Mike wrote:

The Washington Times
June 26, 2008 Thursday
Russian flights smack of Cold War;
U.S. fighters ID bombers near Alaska

BYLINE: By Rowan Scarborough, THE WASHINGTON TIMES

SECTION: PAGE ONE; EXCLUSIVE; A01

Anyone else besides the Moonie paper see this happen?


What is that suppose to mean? Bears have been documented making flights
to the UK & carrier group in the Pacific last year. Yes, it's happening.
The wise crack on the Times is not needed.

Dean A. Markley wrote:
Mark Test wrote:

"Mike" wrote in message
...

The Washington Times
June 26, 2008 Thursday
Russian flights smack of Cold War;
U.S. fighters ID bombers near Alaska

BYLINE: By Rowan Scarborough, THE WASHINGTON TIMES

SECTION: PAGE ONE; EXCLUSIVE; A01

Russian bombers have stepped up provocative flight exercises off the
Alaskan coast, reminiscent of Cold War incursions designed to rattle
U.S. air defenses.

"Rattle".....they simply probe.....glad to see they were promptly
intercepted,
and they got to see the F-22 up close.....

Mark

Which is probably exactly what they were doing, getting a look at F-22s.

Tu-95 have been active in other nato areas. They don't need to fly to
Alaska to take pics of F-22's. They can go to Google......

On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:18:15 -0700, Tiger wrote:


Tu-95 have been active in other nato areas. They don't need to fly to
Alaska to take pics of F-22's. They can go to Google......

They want to collect things like reaction times, radar frequencies and
pulse rates, and stuff like that. You can bet that those old Bears are
packed up the gazoo with ELINT gear as well as the usual bomber stuff.




--
"Implications leading to ramifications leading to shenanigans"-- Admiral
Elmo Zumwalt, USN.

On Jun 30, 3:15 am, Tiger wrote:
Jack Linthicum wrote:
On Jun 29, 8:37 am, Mike wrote:

The Washington Times
June 26, 2008 Thursday
Russian flights smack of Cold War;
U.S. fighters ID bombers near Alaska

BYLINE: By Rowan Scarborough, THE WASHINGTON TIMES

SECTION: PAGE ONE; EXCLUSIVE; A01

Anyone else besides the Moonie paper see this happen?

What is that suppose to mean? Bears have been documented making flights
to the UK & carrier group in the Pacific last year. Yes, it's happening.
The wise crack on the Times is not needed.

Please note the comment from LostAlaskan99712


http://www.newsminer.com/news/2008/j...ns-sonic-boom/



LostAlaskan99712
6/22/2008, 7:22 p.m.


"Just be glad those booms are from American fighters and not enemy
ordinance, ah I do miss the good old days with Soviet tu-95 bear
bombers encroaching on our airspace with a belly full of nukes and our
bad-a** fighter interceptors showing them the way home, I love
Fairbanks."

and the heavy menace implied in this article

http://www.newsminer.com/news/2008/m...rief-march-27/

Note: nothing in the Anchorage paper.