Russian Bears off the coast of California

"You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much" (youcantellafinn) 06/13/2014 at 07:26 • Filed to: planelopnik

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A pair of Tu-95 Bears was detected off the coast of California and escorted by F-15's. Earlier the two Tu-95's were part of a four aircraft formation that was escorted by F-22's off the coast of Alaska. In both instances the Bears were in international airspace, but in the Air Defense Identification Zone. While the linked article mentions that the Bears were first intercepted by F-22's and later by F-15's, the photo clearly shows a Bear being escorted by an F-18. At any rate, the scale of the two aircraft makes for an impressive photo.

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Svend > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 06/13/2014 at 07:44

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Back to the old cold war tactics of 'buzzing' the air defence to measure response rates from radar response to scramble to interception. Putin is just playing cat and mouse waiting for someone to slip and fire at them and make it into a big deal. Many nations (like ourselves) have aircraft 'cocked and locked' ready to go just in case one should have more sinister intentions.

McMike > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 06/13/2014 at 07:50

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Let's post photos of all the aircraft that have ever escorted these things. Surely there can't be a shortage of them. Seems that's all the Bear is good for these days - looking for an escort.

I'll start with the F-106.

I'm not sure how old these are, but the (above) NJ National Guard flew the Dart well into the 80s

McMike > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 06/13/2014 at 07:52

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F-4 1977

McMike > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 06/13/2014 at 07:56

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Wow, F-102.. What's the oldest plane that has ever intercepted a Bear?

Edit - of course this exists.

http://acesflyinghigh.wordpress.com/2012/03/17/int…

Lots of photos there.

Rock Bottom > Svend 06/13/2014 at 08:05

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That ain't new, baby! They resumed coastal "patrols" off both our seaboards several years ago. I read an article about this maybe 5 years ago that talked about the young pilots that used to fly the American East Coast during the Cold War and how those guys are now the commanding officers that send today's young pilots to do the same. Very cool read. I wonder if I can find it again...

Oh, and they do this with submarines, too...

... as do we... he he

Svend > Rock Bottom 06/13/2014 at 08:16

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Ye', the little bleeders have been with us also.

They have gone into Dutch and Finnish airspace before being chased out but not got into UK airspace yet.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > McMike 06/13/2014 at 08:55

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The iconic Jolly Roger F-14's. Damn those are good looking.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > McMike 06/13/2014 at 09:12

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I almost linked that same site for you. They have some pics of the English Electric Lightning intercepting Bears in the 1960's.

McMike > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 06/13/2014 at 09:29

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I think I saw an F-104 in there, too. Neat.

Ding ding ding ding - Bear approaching. - ding ding ding - Don't forget your camera.

Viggen > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 06/13/2014 at 09:34

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DAMN COMMIES /USAball

Here's an A-7:

AV-8A Harrier:

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 06/13/2014 at 12:28

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Russian Bears.

user314 > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 06/13/2014 at 14:36

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TU-95 intercepts 1960s-2000s:

boobytrapsandtreasure > McMike 06/13/2014 at 16:06

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What would make you defect faster to the USA than being forced to fly up and down the beautiful California coast? Keep that runway open Edwards, a Bear is about to land.

leicester > user314 06/13/2014 at 20:40

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It's probably the same plane.

user314 > leicester 06/13/2014 at 21:34

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It wouldn't surprise me. Didn't they do that early in the Cold War? Kept flying the same plane over a parade to make everyone think they had more?