According to Russian state news agency TASS, three Sukhoi Su-35S fighters were scrambled to intercept a U.S. Air Force B-52H bomber on Sunday (Sept. 26). The intercept occurred as the bomber “approached Russian airspace over the Pacific,” according to TASS. The fighters “strictly followed” international rules and escorted the bomber away from the sensitive airspace, and according to TASS, “There were no violations of Russia’s state border or dangerous proximity of planes in the air.” The Sukhois returned to base after the B-52 made a U-turn away from the Russian border.
The encounter is not inconsistent with a recurring aeronautical dance that anyone who’s seen the movie Top Gun understands (without the Hollywood drama). According to a UPI report, “In March, NATO scrambled fighter jets 10 times to track and intercept an unusually ‘rare peak’ of Russian bombers and fighters flying over the North Sea, Black Sea and Baltic Sea, a NATO official said at the time.”
UPI added that, in August 2020, a pair of Russian combat aircraft performed an “unsafe, unprofessional” interception on a B-52 over international waters in the Baltic Sea. Wake turbulence associated with the encounter reportedly “restricted [the B-52’s] ability to maneuver,” according to the UPI report.
I can’t believe a fighter’s wake turbulence would be much noticed by a B-52.
Biggest plane I’ve flown was made by Piper, lol. It would seem hard to pin the bomber in with two planes even if you could create enough turbulence. I’d be interested in how this is done.
Do B-52s have guns?
:-o)
They did at one time but the 20mm that used to be in the tail of the B52H were removed.
Too bad the B52 can’t carry a Sidewinder or an AMRAAM missile!
The Afghanistan/Iraq quagmire is over. The MIC needs to crank up another Cold War to keep our hard earned tax dollars flowing to connected military contractors.
L Smith – MY THOUGHTS exactly!!!
Those companies hardly pretend to be military contractors now. Their primary business is government fulfillment. Their main skill set is getting government contracts, not producing weapons to supply the military. Its not about making the weapon, tool, or machine that best fits the government’s need, it’s about the ability to get through the process and get paid.
Oh my, conspiracy theorists.
Hopefully you do not have a pilot or technician license, as staying alive in aviation requires rational thinking – facts, evidence, logic…
Reminds me of the B52 that called the tower to declare an emergency as it is going to have to make a 7 engine approach!!
Ah yes, the dreaded seven engine approach.
That means it was seven times more likely to be a very scary “six” engine emergency.
Sounds like John Deakin’s story.
Alas he is gone.