And the Spook is usually correct:
We still believe that Russia is setting the stage for a bomber flight against the U.S. east coast, perhaps in a matter of weeks. The TU-95 is the odds-on favorite for that mission; with a maximum range of over 7,000 miles, the Bear is more than capable of shadowing the eastern seaboard before landing in Cuba, or (potentially Venezuela). A Blackjack flying the same profile would require extensive in-flight refueling from IL-78 Midas tankers–something that has never been observed on Russian bomber missions over the North Atlantic.
Read his whole post to see how busy the Bear has been keeping the Norwegians and Brits.
Funny where a little extra petroleum money will lead…
[Ends here]
I think this is the link you were talking about: http://formerspook.blogspot.com/2007/09/raf-typhoon-shadows-russian-bear-h.html
Yes, you’re right: that *is* the right post…which is what I get for not checking my links before I hit “publish.”
I broke Rule # 6 for bloggers. My bad.Anyway, I changed it…
Thanks for taking the time to point out the error.
(The other post,the one on Rovers, was good but obviously not to the point)
I really like Spook 86.
Dithering, followed by denial and faint damnation to follow.
“Bear” air defence tests in the age of ballistic missiles are a cheap provocation (except its actually quite expensive)… its the state equivalent of flipping the bird. Far lesser states could pull the same sort of stunts if they chose to waste money on this sort of thing.
Essentially meaningless, however rather disturbing that a nuclear power chooses actions on the same level of thinking as a prepubescent child.
Jauhara–
I have always dithered. It’s now called ADD, thank heavens.
Fellow peace-keeper–
Spot on. But Russia will forever mourn its failed state, and when you have a bit of change in your pocket and your country is so hopelessly in decline that you revert to sex camps for the young and fertile, what else can you do but show off?
Seems so Putinesque. Maybe the old generation has to die off completely for things to improve. Just as we have to wait for the grandiose boomers to age out and retire from the field.
Besides, our flyboys love the practice.
Don’t miss Super Kim in Super North Korea – very funny
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiJRcLtsuq4
(Sorry, is a bit OT, but when you talk about Venezuela, Cuba, you shouldent forget NK :-))
Let them spend their money in useless stuff.
And look how INFIDEL MAGIC helps US troops in Iraq.
Putinesque… isn’t that a pasta? haha 😉
If they want to fly a bear down our coast and waste all that money, maybe their people will start starving again and take the government back.