The Bear is Back

Dancing with the Bear

Just before President Obama gave his State of the Union address two Russian TU-95 "Bear" Strategic Bombers were intercepted circling Guam.  The bombers, capable of carrying six KH-55 nuclear cruise missiles, were intercepted by F-15 aircraft launched from Anderson AFB on Guam.

Old Hat

To an old cold warrior, ten years in early warning before the wall came down, this stuff is old hat.  We used to routinely spar with the Soviet Union, poking and prodding at the corners and edges of each others airspace.  In terms of recent history, this is somewhat unusual, if not unprecedented.

In June of last year Russian bombers entered what's defined as the Alaskan Air Defense Zone in violation of the 2010 New START treaty.  This was followed up with Russian bombers off the coast of California on the 4th of July.

It's Political, not Military

Incidents like this while of military training value are more of a political message than anything else.  It is not the act but the timing of it that's important.

Perhaps, a friendly reminder to Obama of his remark to Medvedev caught on an open mic that "after my election I have more flexibility" at a meeting between the two in Seoul discussing missile defense.

IMHO

If you ask me, we seriously screwed the pooch on the diplomatic front upon the fall of the old Soviet Union.  Historically Russia is a western nation, now, 22 years later they are still stuck in an adversarial role against the west.

Meet the Bear 

Don't Laugh... it's the same age as the B-52

Cheers!

~Finntann~