Canadian CF-18 fighters drive off 2 Russian TU-95 aircraft

[Brotherhood]

Canadian CF-18 fighters drive off 2 Russian TU-95 aircraft - People's Daily Online August 25, 2010

A senior Canadian official said on Wednesday that two CF-18 Hornet fighters of Canada had driven off two Russian Tu-95 Bear aircraft 30 nautical miles away from Canadian soil.

Dimitri Soudas, press secretary of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, said the two CF-18 Hornet fighters visually identified the two Russian aircraft approximately 120 nautical miles north of Inuvik in Northwest Territories on Tuesday.

"At their closest point, the Russian aircraft were 30 nautical miles from Canadian soil," he said in a news release. "The CF-18s shadowed the Bear aircraft until they turned around. The two CF-18s came from 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta."

Soudas said the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) carefully monitors all air activities and considers all options to protect the air sovereignty of Canada and the United States.

Soudas also reaffirmed the Canadian government's commitment to replacing the CF-18 fleet after its retirement with new, highly capable and technologically-advanced F-35.

Source: Xinhua

 

[Kompromat]

CF-18's would not dare getting close to those bears if they were being Escorted by a formation of SU-35BMs.

 

[Nahraf]

This is all public relations exercise by Tories to prepare Canadian population to accept $9 billion order F-35 fighter from US. Russian Tu-95 Bear flew off Canadian coast for long time but now they are sending CF-18 fighters to intercept and then report as headlines in Canadian media.

 

[S_O_C_O_M]

U.S. and Russia are less than 3 miles from each other---- On Bering Strait Big Diomede Island (part of Russia) and Little Diomede Island (part of Alaska)

 

[Thomas]

CF-18's would not dare getting close to those bears if they were being Escorted by a formation of SU-35BMs.

There is a reason why the Russians or U.S. do not include fighter escorts with their bomber patrols or Reconnaissance aircraft that skirt national borders. If there had been a fighter escort with the bombers there would have been a much larger response and probably heightening of defcon level. It's during times like that that mistakes can happen.

 

[Stormweaver]

CF-18's would not dare getting close to those bears if they were being Escorted by a formation of SU-35BMs.

Let them go on, Make CF's Day

 

[CardSharp]

F'ing russians.

 

[CardSharp]

This is all public relations exercise by Tories to prepare Canadian population to accept $9 billion order F-35 fighter from US. Russian Tu-95 Bear flew off Canadian coast for long time but now they are sending CF-18 fighters to intercept and then report as headlines in Canadian media.

I actually support the purchase of the F-35's but there's no way in hell I'll vote tory when the next election rolls around.

 

[Donatello]

Even an old F-7 would intercept them.

Nothing unusual, they usually fly over and sometimes stray away from given parameters. Standard procedure.

 

[no_name]

F'ing russians.

Why the beef, if I may ask?

 

[flying hawk]

because its a healthy meal

 

[siegecrossbow]

Oh the good old bear, it must be one of the most intercepted planes in aircraft history. Look at the variety of attentions it has been getting:

The two superpowers' national symbols:

Accompanied by the world's most advanced fighter, under a moonlight

A cat and bear game:

Are bears afraid of ghosts:

I've always wondered why the Russians employed the Tu-95 as a surveillance plane. It is slow (prop driven), large, and unwieldy. Why not develop faster planes like the U-2 and SR-71 or even use converted fighters?

 

[lcloo]

The old bear stayed outside US and Canada's air space, they can afford to fly leisurely and they have endurance. I think the purpose of these flights are more political publicity than having military value.

U-2 and SR-71 flew deep over the air space of Russia and China, they have to fly high and fast to avoid gettting shoot down. As opposite to the Russian, these flights are secretive.

 

[Gin ka Pakistan]

There is oil in north of Canada and ice is melting , who will claim it USA , Canada or Russia ?