US Jets Escort Russian Bombers Off Alaska Coast

[Matt Molnar]

Two US Air Force F-15s were dispatched to intercept a pair of Russian Tu-95 Bear long range bombers off the coast of Alaska on Tuesday. The fighters were scrambled after radar detected the turboprop bombers entering an air exclusion zone about 500 miles from the coast. The Russian planes were escorted out of the area without incident.

The event comes a month after a group of four Tu-95s circled the USS Nimitz in the Pacific, with one of them buzzing just 2000 feet above the deck of the carrier.

US officials say they are not concerned about the incidents.

[PhilDernerJr]

This whole airspace game that the Russian plays is cute, and I understnad it to be a part of military life that is generally not a big deal.

However, I recall seeing photos of the Nimitz flyby, and the Bears had actually flown directly over the ship! I find that to be a bit too aggressive, if that was the case. If it was, we would have been justifed in shooting it down I think, and hwo knows what would have happened from there.

With the old age of those planes, I wonder if the crew of the Nimitz thought they had gone back in time again!

[nikon50bigma]

I saw that movie, it was too bad the F-14's didn't engage the full wave of zero dive bombers...
Would have been a nice milk run for the pilots.

[cancidas]

maybe the bear crew just wanted to be able to go home and say; "we got intercepted by an F-22."

[hiss srq]

maybe the bear crew just wanted to be able to go home and say; "we got intercepted by an F-22."

Suince theres a HUGE F22 base up in Alaska! :roll:

[moose135]

maybe the bear crew just wanted to be able to go home and say; "we got intercepted by an F-22."

Suince theres a HUGE F22 base up in Alaska! :roll:

Yes, Ryan, it's called the 90th Fighter Squadron, part of the 477th Fighter Group.
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123063874

As to the Bear intercept - happened last Thanksgiving Day, with pictures and everything...
http://www.airshowbuzz.com/files/photo/ ... _9eaeb.jpg
http://formerspook.blogspot.com/2007/11 ... -gift.html

[hiss srq]

maybe the bear crew just wanted to be able to go home and say; "we got intercepted by an F-22."

Suince theres a HUGE F22 base up in Alaska! :roll:

Yes, Ryan, it's called the 90th Fighter Squadron, part of the 477th Fighter Group.
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123063874

As to the Bear intercept - happened last Thanksgiving Day, with pictures and everything...
http://www.airshowbuzz.com/files/photo/ ... _9eaeb.jpg
http://formerspook.blogspot.com/2007/11 ... -gift.html

My words taste a little bit on the crunchy side today.