Putin’s July 4th Message Russian nuclear-capable bombers intercepted near West Coast in second U.S.

[mikhen7]

Putin

If I were in California ....

[WKUHilltopper]

2nd time the Russians have done this in just about a two weeks time. 3rd time's the charm?

The U.S. defense official called the latest Bear H incident near the U.S. West Coast “Putin’s Fourth of July Bear greeting to Obama.”

Really? He knew? Obama was in Paris on the 4th of July--trying to raise money for his campaign.

[billym]

It looks like they have plans to do something for sure.

[Carl]

I read the entire article. Neither the US nor the Canadian's said anything about a violation of air space. Both in separate statements said the Russian bombers were observing all international flight protocols. They test us and we test them.

In the 80 and 90 there were a number of Russian fighter jets that made touch and go landings at Elmendorf AFB.

Nothing new really.

[Sean Osborne]

According to NORTHCOM the Alaska ADIZ (Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone) was indeed penetrated by two Russian TU-95MS (Bear H) long-range strategic bombers.

Penetration of the Alaska ADIZ means, at the minimum, the Russian 'Bear H' bombers got inside of the line defined by points 1- 6 on this FAA .pdf map.

[mattfivefour]

... which could be just a few miles off the easternmost point of Russia, just SE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Remember that Alaska and Russia are separated by only 55 miles of water (measured from Attu). If you include the Diomede (Gvozdev) islands in your calculations then 2.5 miles is the distance separating the two nations. That's the width of the channel between US-owned Little Diomede and Russia-owned Big Diomede.

[WKUHilltopper]

... which could be just a few miles off the easternmost point of Russia, just SE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Remember that Alaska and Russia are separated by only 55 miles of water (measured from Attu). If you include the Diomede (Gvozdev) islands in your calculations then 2.5 miles is the distance separating the two nations. That's the width of the channel between US-owned Little Diomede and Russia-owned Big Diomede.

We used to have a point, just before entering Russian air space called the "fail safe" point. We'd fly a bomber squadron toward them and, when they'd get to the 'fail safe', turn around.

Of course, too, we'd fly U-2 spy planes over Russia all the time--until they developed a SAM that had the range to knock them down.

[Sean Osborne]

... which could be just a few miles off the easternmost point of Russia, just SE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Remember that Alaska and Russia are separated by only 55 miles of water (measured from Attu). If you include the Diomede (Gvozdev) islands in your calculations then 2.5 miles is the distance separating the two nations. That's the width of the channel between US-owned Little Diomede and Russia-owned Big Diomede.

True, but the important thing to remember here is that the Raduga KH-55 nuclear cruise missiles these aircraft fire have a range of 1,625 nautical miles.

So what's the point of them penetrating the Alaskan ADIZ by a few miles only to be turned back?

Even from that position the missiles would never reach anywhere in the CONUS lower 48 and the aircraft themselves would be shot down. A suicide mission in other words. On the other-hand, any strategic target within Alaska could be hit if these aircraft fired their missiles from a thousand miles inside Russian territory.

Something of grander strategic value is at play here imho, but I do not yet understand what it could be given our immediate air defense scramble response.

[WKUHilltopper]

True, but the important thing to remember here is that the Raduga KH-55 nuclear cruise missiles these aircraft fire have a range of 1,625 nautical miles.

So what's the point of them penetrating the Alaskan ADIZ by a few miles only to be turned back?

Even from that position the missiles would never reach anywhere in the CONUS lower 48 and the aircraft themselves would be shot down. A suicide mission in other words. On the other-hand, any strategic target within Alaska could be hit if these aircraft fired their missiles from a thousand miles inside Russian territory.

Something of grander strategic value is at play here imho, but I do not yet understand what it could be given our immediate air defense scramble response.

How good of shape is Russia's ballistic missile subs these days? It was my understanding that our subs were always the "point of the spear"--that our fixed missile launch pads and bomber force could be taken out, but the subs were more of a craps shoot to get at and harder to find. Thus, our subs would, more than likely, provide the hardest haymaker.

I haven't heard anything of much about the preparedness of the Russian sub fleet lately--especially their SLBM program. Any idea if it is functional, per se?

Something of grander strategic value is at play here imho, but I do not yet understand what it could be given our immediate air defense scramble response.

Might be a psychological play...even if the flight plan wasn't really a threat to the CONUS. Maybe just telling us "we can still be a threat", maybe? Don't "push us/challenge us on Syria/Iran"?

[brethorn56]

Though I am not expert, it seems like this cat and mouse game is very similar to the cold war days.

It is probably going to get worse, in my opinion.

[GlennO]

Mikhen7 said:

If I were in California ....

I've been staying outside our town of 5,550 for a few days avoiding an annual rock concert that doubles our population ... so I've been off line.

Pastor Mike - I used to be concerned with the threat of thermo-nuclear warfare doing duck-and-cover drills in elementary school in SoCal.

In my walk now I am not fearful at all concerning passing into eternity

God's Got It !

[Meg]

Mikhen7 said:

I've been staying outside our town of 5,550 for a few days avoiding an annual rock concert that doubles our population ... so I've been off line.

Pastor Mike - I used to be concerned with the threat of thermo-nuclear warfare doing duck-and-cover drills in elementary school in SoCal.

In my walk now I am not fearful at all concerning passing into eternity

God's Got It !

I agree, Glenn, there is only so much of yourself you can give over to fear of some lurking threat, then you just have to trust in the Lord. We have a neighbor who is something close to the same age as you are, and I am too. Ellsworth Air Force base just outside of town here was #3 on the Russian hit list if Reagan pushed the red button. The people who grew up here and lived here in the 80's lived under the constant threat of being nuked. That is clearly very difficult to deal with apart from the Lord. I still have the stunning testimony of Col Greco ringing in my ears; rather than try to retell what he said, I am going to search You Tube and see if I can find it. Meanwhile, here's a link to the event where we heard him speak yesterday, in case someone wants to know more. Just scroll down past the poll, and there's a bit of material there:

Black Hills Area National Day of Prayer

[WKUHilltopper]

Pastor Mike - I used to be concerned with the threat of thermo-nuclear warfare doing duck-and-cover drills in elementary school in SoCal.

Our cook in school--must have been assigned the duties of air raid warden--she would come out of the kitchen with a big metal pot and big metal spoon, banging on it and yelling "Air Raid!" while roaming up and down the hallways.

We were then instructed to go out into the hall, line up and put our heads between our knees. I guess we would have made neater and more organized "blobs" that way when the nukes went off!

Our little hick town couldn't afford an air raid siren, I guess. So we made do.

[Sean Osborne]

Ellsworth Air Force base just outside of town here was #3 on the Russian hit list if Reagan pushed the red button.

Or if the Soviet Union launched a preemptive first strike. Ronald Reagan, God rest his soul, was a born-again Christian American President who implicitly understood back in the 1970s that Russia was the key player in Ezekiel 38/39.

Ellsworth AFB is small potatoes compared to all of the major metropolitian areas of the US; particularly the entire east coast megalopolis region from Boston, MA to Washington, D.C. which is home to over 50 million people and was the Soviet Union's #1 target. That historical fact remains true to this day.

Nowhere on earth is 'safe' from the effects and ravages of thermonuclear warfare.

[WKUHilltopper]

Or if the Soviet Union launched a preemptive first strike. Ronald Reagan, God rest his soul, was a born-again Christian American President who implicitly understood back in the 1970s that Russia was the key player in Ezekiel 38/39.

I've read somewhere that President Reagan actually and personally witnessed to Gorbachev about Jesus and salvation.

[Sean Osborne]

I've read somewhere that President Reagan actually and personally witnessed to Gorbachev about Jesus and salvation.

Yes, that is absolutely true. It occurred in their first meeting of 1988 when in a 1-on-1 session (along with two American and two Russian note takers) Reagan directly witnessed to Gorbachev. The two American note takers, Thomas Simons, the deputy assistant secretary of state, and Rudolf Perina, director of Soviet affairs on the National Security Council, concur that the witnessing most certainly did occur. Their notes are part of the Reagan Library archives.

[WKUHilltopper]

Yes, that is absolutely true. It occurred in their first meeting of 1988 when in a 1-on-1 session (along with two American and two Russian note takers) Reagan directly witnessed to Gorbachev. The two American note takers, Thomas Simons, the deputy assistant secretary of state, and Rudolf Perina, director of Soviet affairs on the National Security Council, concur that the witnessing most certainly did occur. Their notes are part of the Reagan Library archives.

Boy...what a contrast of the trash we have now. Breaks my heart!

[Carl]

We used to have a point, just before entering Russian air space called the "fail safe" point. We'd fly a bomber squadron toward them and, when they'd get to the 'fail safe', turn around.

Of course, too, we'd fly U-2 spy planes over Russia all the time--until they developed a SAM that had the range to knock them down.

Then we developed the SR71 (my avatar) and photographed much if not all of Russia with it.

[Carl]

I agree with Sean there is another game being played out here. The weapons that Russia now has negates the necessity for entering our air space anywhere along the coast of the continental United States.

[WKUHilltopper]

Then we developed the SR71 (my avatar) and photographed much if not all of Russia with it.

That Blackbird is an incredible aircraft. Now that they're not using it anymore, you have to wonder what marvel we're using now--at least I do! I don't think we're relying solely on satellites.

It's amazing (and confirmation of Daniel) that man has only been flying for about 100 years.