RAF catches Russian bombers in UK airspace

[Turborama]

Source: The Scotsman

Published Date: March 25 2010
By Mark Smith

The Russian planes, the world's biggest combat aircraft that are capable of carrying nuclear or conventional weapons, were intercepted by two Tornados near Stornoway in the Western Isles.

RAF crews have now been scrambled 20 times in the past year to intercept Russian aircraft over British airspace, the Ministry of Defence revealed last night.

MoD insiders claim the Russian operation may have been aimed at watching preparations for a major military exercise to take place off the Scottish coast next month.

The two Tornado F3 fighters from 111 Squadron were scrambled from RAF Leuchars in Fife in the early hours of 10 March.

Read more: http://news.scotsman.com/news/RAF-catches-Russian-bombers-in.6178775.jp

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An RAF Tornado fighter closes in on one of the two Russian
'Blackjack' bombers that were intercepted in UK airspace
off the Scottish coast.

[Posteritatis]

1. Training for all! (nt)

[Arctic Dave]

2. What is the point of all the fun toys if you don't use them.

Any word on our incursion into Russian airspace.

[damyank913]

3. I don't understand why they feel the need to play these damn games.

They all have satellites.

[HereSince1628]

4. One point is that it forces a response, which reveals how a response

is made. Not that there can't be multiple defensive "plays." But that's sort of the point. You've got to tickle your opponent regularly to get "game film" that can be studied.

Then you play again to see how quickly you figure out which "play" is being run.

[damyank913]

6. I get that, but they've been doing this shit for 50 years...

It's all fun n games till someone gets hurt. The Russians know the Brits don't play. What did they expect to see? I think Putin wants a war footing because of Russia's new-found wealth. Medyedev talks peace-Putin wants to flex his muscles. WTF:shrug:

[HereSince1628]

10. IMHO Britain played it just like the Russians expected

when I was in on this game of chicken back in the 70's both sides did this routinely.

Remember in the early months of the W administration one of our surveillance planes was in a mid-air with a Chinese fighter and forced to land in China? Both sides play the game because it's an ever changing game in terms of equipment, personnel and tactics. For any side not to have knowledge of how the other side works is deemed more dangerous than the perils of the game.

[damyank913]

11. Yeah, I agree-I saw this kinda crap back in the 70's too...

The Navy's used to play these games too.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. To get photos of a particular place at a particular time, planes are still much better

A geostationary satellite has to be 24,000 miles away, above the equator (and thus at quite an angle for the area concerned here, about 60 degrees north). Satellites in lower orbits that can fly overhead are on fixed trajectories and 'timetables' that cannot be changed. They may be able to take photos of a particular place within a day or two, but not at a precise time, nor can they react to anything changing - eg a delay in the exercise they want to photograph. A reconnaissance plane allows to to take still and videos, from varying angles, and with a pilot who can adjust to the exercise as it happens.

[underpants]

7. Practice leads to bigger budgets

$$$$$$$$$$$

[MicaelS]

15. Because if they did not, they would be perceived as weak

By a potential adversary. Or might truly BE weak because they cannot engage in exercises. If you don't have the money to pay your crews, fuel your aircraft, buy spare parts, then what good are these aircraft? None, whatsoever. You can't project your power, because your planes are all hangar queens.

Now admit it, after the collapse of the USSR, when Yeltsin was President of Russia, everyone thought that paradise had arrived. They of course thought that because the bad old USSR was no longer threatening world peace. Russia under Yelstin basically let their military collapse, and thus no one gave a flying fuck what the Russians thought, said or did, because they didn't have the muscle to back up their words with deeds.

Now today under Putin that is no longer the case. The Russian people have always regarded themselves as a great world power, and thus due the respect that a world power "deserves". But the Russians have also nurtured an Russian Inferiority Complex as far back as Peter the Great in the 17th Century. Inferiority Complexes make people commit warped actions, they make people engage in displays of grandiosity. We saw that in the White House under Bush.

Good quote here:

What is clear is that Russia is in a deep funk about its position in the world. It is a huge country with an equally large inferiority complex.

In the 1990s it lost an empire, and with it, the respect and prestige it feels it deserves.

It blames the West and particularly America and Britain.

Flying those planes near British or American airspace gives either country as poke in the eye that Russians feel both countries richly deserves.

[damyank913]

8. This may have something to do with the Nuclear Disarmament treaty just signed...

Russia seems to have a split personality. They probably say the same thing about the US. But at least the US is spreading "democracy".:nuke:

[Blue_Tires]

9. took them awhile, but the Russians are finally going after Peter Sellers

[DavidDvorkin]

12. Country A probes Country B's air defenses to gauge their effectiveness

Does Country B deliberately delay its response, so that Country A will underestimate those defenses? That way, if A ever really does attack B, it might be unprepared for the true effectiveness of B's defenses and ability to respond.

But on the other hand, does A deliberately overestimate B's defenses, on the assumption that B is underplaying its reaction?

Do the planners in A and B drink more heavily their countrymen?

[HubertHeaver]

14. Q: Do the planners in A and B drink more heavily [than]

their countrymen?

A: Yes

[DavidDvorkin]

16. Ack. Than.

I suspect your answer is correct.

[JBoy]

13. After the incident

[Regret My New Name]

17. I'll ride your tail anytime, Iceman.