Russian blackjack fun....

[sublight]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/03/25/russia.uk.intercepts/index.html?hpt=T2

Is this just payback for all the times we did it to them over the years?

 

[quellish]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/03/25/russia.uk.intercepts/index.html?hpt=T2

Is this just payback for all the times we did it to them over the years?

Uh, did what to them?

 

[Hammer Birchgrove]

I assume he means the U-2's and SR-71 Blackbirds "spying" on USSR.

The Soviet Air Force did stunts like that during the Cold War, I guess this is about some generals or Putin and/or Medvedev compensating for something.

 

[flateric]

hey, we are burning kerosene for NATO pilots to have a chance to take photos and videos of more rare aircraft than even B-2!

 

[saintkatanalegacy]

would be more interesting if they made passes on somebody's aircraft carrier and email them photos after a few days

 

[sublight]

Wait a minute, that was Putin in the cockpit!!!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vladimir_Putin_Cockpit_TU-160_Bomber.jpg

Now Obama is going to ride shotgun in a B2.

 

[SOC]

would be more interesting if they made passes on somebody's aircraft carrier and email them photos after a few days

If you're talking about the Su-24 flyby, I have the photographs B)

 

[flanker]

I dont understand the whining. The flights are done within international waters.

 

[sublight]

would be more interesting if they made passes on somebody's aircraft carrier and email them photos after a few days

If you're talking about the Su-24 flyby, I have the photographs B)

Yes. PLEASE post these. I haven't seen them anywhere else...

 

[flateric]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIt3Gr_18do

amateur Blackjack's pilot's video
during this 2005 flight, Kh-555 was launched from one of Tu-160s, fliying alongside that one that Putin was flying in

 

[SOC]

Say what you want about Putin, but I gotta tell you, if I was the man in charge, I'd be doing the exact same thing! My first order of business would be to press the "FIRE" button during an ICBM test launch!

 

[sferrin]

Say what you want about Putin, but I gotta tell you, if I was the man in charge, I'd be doing the exact same thing! My first order of business would be to press the "FIRE" button during an ICBM test launch!

Screw that, I'd want to see 20 megatons (from a distance obviously).

 

[bobbymike]

Putin takes the defense of his nation seriously enough to "fly everything in the arsenal". I remember former Congressman B-1 Bob Dornan, a very strong defense advocate, who when running for President of the US talked about defense in "Putinesque" terms and was considered a militaristic lunatic.

While no US politician wants to have their own Dukakis moment (remember the pictures of him in an M-1 tank) if I was running for president on my "Trillion dollars for Defense, none for ACORN" strategy I would be seen visiting defense contractors and labs and taking "spins" in all the latest weaponry. I would be talking about rebuilding our deterrent forces and deploying a heavy lift conventional prompt global strike missile and free electron lasers in space.

This just in, election results

Me - 10%
Opponent who promises the people "breads and circuses" 90%

 

[Hammer Birchgrove]

hey, we are burning kerosene for NATO pilots to have a chance to take photos and videos of more rare aircraft than even B-2!

Good point! The Tu-160 is a beautiful aircraft. I assume it's not primarily intended for "strategic" (nuclear strike) use.

 

[SOC]

Good point! The Tu-160 is a beautiful aircraft. I assume it's not primarily intended for "strategic" (nuclear strike) use.

Although they are being (slowly) modified to carry conventional weapons, yes, the aircraft is primarily a nuclear strike platform. The only integrated weapon pre-upgrade is the Kh-55.

 

[saintkatanalegacy]

with nukes slowly getting out of the picture. . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2FGA3Z-oYM

old news though

 

[Hammer Birchgrove]

Good point! The Tu-160 is a beautiful aircraft. I assume it's not primarily intended for "strategic" (nuclear strike) use.

Although they are being (slowly) modified to carry conventional weapons, yes, the aircraft is primarily a nuclear strike platform. The only integrated weapon pre-upgrade is the Kh-55.

Do these bombers tend to be armed with nukes while flying, especially when being next to "the other side"?

I get "Thunderball" vibes.

 

[Hammer Birchgrove]

Edit

 

[Hammer Birchgrove]

with nukes slowly getting out of the picture. . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2FGA3Z-oYM

old news though

Read in the free paper Metro a few months ago that Obama approved of a large "earthquake"/bunker buster bomb with "conventional" explosives. Lets see if these new bombs can be put into "good" use.