U.S., Canadian jets intercept 8 Russian aircraft

[Triton]

"U.S., Canadian jets intercept 8 Russian aircraft"

Source:
http://news.yahoo.com/us-canadian-jets-intercept-8-russian-aircraft-232846452.html

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Two F-22 fighter jets intercepted six Russian military airplanes that neared the western coast of Alaska, military officials said Friday.

Lt. Col. Michael Jazdyk, a spokesman for the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, said the U.S. jets intercepted the planes about 55 nautical miles from the Alaskan coast at about 7 p.m. Pacific time Wednesday.

The Russian planes were identified as two IL-78 refueling tankers, two Mig-31 fighter jets and two Bear long-range bombers. They looped south and returned to their base in Russia after the U.S. jets were scrambled.

At about 1:30 a.m. Thursday, two Canadian CF-18 fighter jets intercepted two of the long-range bombers about 40 nautical miles off the Canadian coastline in the Beaufort Sea.

In both cases, the Russian planes entered the Air Defense Identification Zone, which extends about 200 miles from the coastline. They did not enter sovereign airspace of the United States or Canada.

Jazdyk said the fighter jets were scrambled "basically to let those aircraft know that we see them, and in case of a threat, to let them know we are there to protect our sovereign airspace."

In the past five years, jets under NORAD's command have intercepted more than 50 Russian bombers approaching North American airspace.

NORAD is a binational American and Canadian command responsible for air defense in North America.

 

[CJGibson]

There's a lot of it about, we've got it too.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/11108857/RAF-Typhoons-scramble-to-long-range-Russian-bombers.html

Chris

 

[perttime]

"Sweden has summoned the Russian Ambassador for a dressing down after two Russian planes violated Swedish airspace last week."
(Published: 19 Sep 2014)
http://www.thelocal.se/20140919/russian-flights-condemned-by-social-democrats

Russian aircraft have recently cut some corners elsewhere in the Baltic Sea too. International airspace is pretty tight there, though.

 

[sferrin]

Those would be some pretty nice shots. F-22s escorting Bears and Mig-31s.

 

[Triton]

Welcome to Cold War 2.0, I hoped that incidents like these were a thing of the past.

 

[sferrin]

Welcome to Cold War 2.0, I hoped that incidents like these were a thing of the past.

Between Putin and China it will only get more "interesting". Especially if we stay as weak-willed as we are.

 

[steelpillow]

Can't help wondering how Putin expects to grow his economy if all he gets from the world is a resounding "We don't want your stinkin' oil!"

 

[flateric]

juche & songun...

 

[Sundog]

Between Putin and China it will only get more "interesting". Especially if we stay as weak-willed as we are.

Russia is able to get a 1/4 of of it's Air Force up on one day and we send two F-22's to intercept and that makes us weak willed? We spend more on the military than the next ten nations combined and we're supposed to tremble in our shoes because Putin is going through his teenage superpower years again? Oh please, there are so many damned chicken little's on the internet who don't have a clue about foreign policy it's laughable.

I'll give you a clue; Putin <i>is</i> weak. That's why he is doing what he is doing and he can't sustain it. The only thing he is achieving is more isolation in an increasingly globalized world.

 

[sferrin]

Russia is able to get a 1/4 of of it's Air Force up on one day and we send two F-22's to intercept and that makes us weak willed?

Bigger picture.

We spend more on the military than the next ten nations combined and we're supposed to tremble in our shoes because Putin is going through his teenage superpower years again? Oh please, there are so many damned chicken little's on the internet who don't have a clue about foreign policy it's laughable.

Lots of stupid people too.

I'll give you a clue; Putin is weak. That's why he is doing what he is doing and he can't sustain it. The only thing he is achieving is more isolation in an increasingly globalized world.

I'll give you a clue. Doesn't matter what a country's OOB looks like if they don't have the will to use it. [/quote][/quote]

 

[MaxLegroom]

Welcome to Cold War 2.0, I hoped that incidents like these were a thing of the past.

If I understand correctly, they never were a thing of the past.

 

[marauder2048]

Between Putin and China it will only get more "interesting". Especially if we stay as weak-willed as we are.

Russia is able to get a 1/4 of of it's Air Force up on one day and we send two F-22's to intercept and that makes us weak willed? We spend more on the military than the next ten nations combined and we're supposed to tremble in our shoes because Putin is going through his teenage superpower years again? Oh please, there are so many damned chicken little's on the internet who don't have a clue about foreign policy it's laughable.

I'll give you a clue; Putin <i>is</i> weak. That's why he is doing what he is doing and he can't sustain it. The only thing he is achieving is more isolation in an increasingly globalized world.

What evidence do you have of Putin's weakness? He's got vastly more experience on the world stage than pretty much any counterpart in the West and it shows.
His policies to subdue Russia's near-abroad have been quite successful. And the globalized world is enabling Russia to avoid most of the pain of the sanctions; to avoid upsetting world oil prices Exxon is still producing 250,000+ barrels/day on Sakhalin.

 

[Rickshaw]

I'll give you a clue. Doesn't matter what a country's OOB looks like if they don't have the will to use it.

Far more important to being willing to use that OOB is making sure that your society supports it's use. Knowing that your nation is war weary and wary of further military adventurism does not necessarily make you "weak willed". People who advocate strategic over-reach invariably end up with egg on the face and claiming their military had been "stabbed in the back" when their own society wearies of the latest war, before it's finished. :