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| RAF QRA Typhoon Escorting a Russian Bear Aircraft A Russian Bear aircraft is escorted by a Royal Air Force Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) Typhoon during an intercept in September 2014. Royal Air Force aircraft at RAF Lossiemouth launched the Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) for the first time since the Moray base took on the role of defending the UK’s Northern airspace. Typhoon jets were scrambled to identify aircraft in international airspace. The aircraft, identified as Russian military ‘Bears’, did not enter UK airspace. |
Everyone's getting excited about the Russian flights but isn't the big nosed Bear a recon or electronic warfare airplane?
It seems that they're just doing the same things we do off the Chinese coast. By that I mean its really no big deal.
That's the Tu-95MS, cruise missile carriers. The patrol and EW platform is Tu-95RT but it has different nose section.
ReplyDeleteA EW plane is in some ways more a threat than an actual combat plane depending on their systems.
ReplyDeleteA), they're spies. They are checking out the SIGINT given off by our radars and military communication. This sets them up for B) jamming in case of conflict. While not as good with it as the west, the "w" in EW is warfare, and a confused radar with disrupted communications is every general's nightmare.
That said it is mostly what Gorbachev has recently said the start of a new Cold war. Cold not hot. The Bears are a provocation that doesn't look like one. A lumbering Bear EW bomber looks about as threating as a 737. But we have to intercept and that puts stress, however littile, on our system. An Elderly Bear is paid off and its low fuel cost turpboprops are about as expensive as an older c-130 to run. But NATO intercepts with Eurofighters, F-16s, etc., that costs several grand per intercept and wears them out that much faster. This is cold war style financial and psychological calculation: "make 'em spend money and wonder what the hell we are doing".
Interesting take.
DeleteNo missiles, no threat.
ReplyDeleteOne Bear with no missiles is simply a live action interception training drill.
ECM and ELINT are the reason for the flights and to gain and keep certification for pilots and crews.
We do the same thing to the Chinese, Russian's and several other nations.
When you see a Bear coming in at high speed 100 feet of the ocean carrying one or two KS-5 Kitchen missiles then you know you have been threatened.
You have not really lived until you see one in attack configuration running a simulated strike against a ship you are on, Phantom Jets and F-8's tucked under each wing, nothing is happier than a Russian Bear bomber crewman waving and grinnin' at you as they fly by.
One could argue that a nuclear-cruise missile capable Bear (potentially armed, as it is truly uncertain and unknown) flying 50nm off the coast of California, or NATO coastline is a tad more provocative and threatening than a P-8 flying 150nm off the coast of Hainan (regardless of how provocative that sortie might be perceived itself). And especially since it's been reported that multiple recent Bomber patrols/exercises have involved simulated nuclear cruise missile strikes, it's truly an unknown as to the actual intent any Bomber(s) with a bomb bay might have had an hour earlier heading into one's airspace, or 1 hr later after a loop around. That's probably why the pic of the EF Typhoon above is apparently armed with a full war load of 4x AMRAAM + 4x ASRAAM. Because in the reality, there is ZERO transparency and certainty today - crazy as it sounds - as to what the intentions are, or when a surprise coordinated first strike might in fact occur without any warning. That said, NATO should in my opinion at least, unfortunately take a more decisive diplomatic stance in demanding transparency of such flights, including scheduled flights (keeping transponders on during approach, etc) and setting new rules and expectations, e.g., for political-economic consequences as long as said escalating strategic threats and uncertainties remain.
ReplyDeleteUS aircraft have the capability to carry and deliver atomic munitions as they fly all over the world as well as above the skies of the United States.
DeleteCarrying one and dropping one is a distinct difference.
Certification of pilots and crews to be trusted to carry weapons of this nature without fear of them dropping them un asked is the reason for this act, it's called surety.
At one time German Fighter Bombers would routinely carry atomic weapons that belonged to the US all around the edges of the then Soviet Union as did British and other NATO pilots.
There is even a gate guard fighter in Germany that is armed with an inert atomic bomb on display.
It's no more provocative than a Phibron filled with a Marine MEU sailing just outside or inside the national waters of any other nation.
It's the same as a CV loaded for bear sailing off the coast or of a US Navy Destroyer with Tomahawks sailing in the Black sea.
It's SoP.
I keep thinking of how much the Air National Guard/USAF is already spending on having patrols since 9/11 for hijacked plans. They are already wearing out their F-16s, and their replacemen the F-35...well there are plenty of posts about that already. Now add in shooing away Putin's pokes at our airspace we will start upping the tempo.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the US should take up the Scorion jet as an ISR/Intercept plane. With an operating cost less than 10% of an
F-16 and less than 20 mill a pop (with NO development costs. unlike the F-35). They can also save wear on the Coast Guard's choppers. A lot of people don't realize the USCG has been doing the low speed intercepts on stuf like Cessna 175's that break airspace rules. Yea, CG chopppes, because F-16's cant fly that slow and low. The Scorpion can fly at 150 knts to over 500 without stalling.
Sorry, misspelled Scorpion....I think Solomon has an old post on it somewhere.
ReplyDelete