Russian bombers flew 2000 feet over US aircraft carrier: official

[NNN0LHI]

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gThybp_Fcvg9QqECFfEoFOKqn8QA

hour ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) — A pair of Russian TU-95 Bear bombers overflew a US aircraft carrier in the western Pacific at an altitude of 2,000 feet (660 meters) over the weekend, prompting US fighter jets to scramble, a US defense official said Monday.

Four F-18 fighters jets intercepted the Russian bombers Saturday morning, but not before they had overflown the USS Nimitz, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. snip

The second pair of bombers were flying south of Japan when they "essentially turned inbound toward the USS Nimitz, and USS Nimitz aircraft launched and intercepted the bombers," said the defense official.

The US F-18s escorted the bombers until they departed the area, the official said.

"There were no verbal communications between the Nimitz aircraft or the Russian aircraft," the official said.

The official said one of the Russian bombers flew directly over the US carrier at an altitude of 2,000 feet, while the second bomber flew at its side at the same altitude.

[billbuckhead]

1. Tupelov Bears are freaking turboprops, they could have heard them coming

These are the reverse of "stealth" bombers.

[A HERETIC I AM]

2. Yup. Counterrotating props and all....

Nice looking old bird, anyway.

[Iktomiwicasa]

3. Actually a great

and classic airplane, but seriously, you can be sure the navy knew they were coming from quite a long ways off.

[Disturbed]

4. This is bizare. Was this some sort of msg. from Russia?

Any guesses as to wtf this was about?

[Iktomiwicasa]

6. nothing really nefarious

the Russians have some money again, and are willing to come out and play like in the old days. Just flexing a bit of muscle to remind the U.S. they are a force to be reckoned with again.

[Rex]

5. Did anyone get pictures? That is a vintage aircraft.

[Iktomiwicasa]

7. Yeah, they still have quite a few of them in service

and they were in production for a long long time. Last ones built (the ones currently in service) were built in the 90's.

[Rex]

8. I just read about that! Says they will be in service until 2040.

Must be one hell of a plane.

[catnhatnh]

11. It's their equivelent of the B-52....

First flown in 1953...same deal,engine and avionics upgrades and hot young pilots flying the same airframes daddy and grandpa did....

[juno jones]

9. Hmmm.

A pair of semi-antiquidated bombers fly over a carrier, and we are out in force, but four hijackings occur which result in planes being flown into buildings and it takes us hours to scramble. Our air defense seems to be very selective.

[madrchsod]

10. a russian flew his fighter about a 500 ft over the deck

of a us carrier and sent the carrier a photo of his fly over several years ago in the same area. the carriers excuse was the russians usually fly their patterns at a certain time of day...this day they did`t and no one on the carrier noticed