Russian Air Force: 70+ Patrol Flights Since August ’07
Russian Air Force bombers have undertaken more than 70 patrol flights in the past four months, it emerged today. According to an official within the Russian Air Force, they have covered areas including the Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
On the 17th August, President Putin announced that aerial patrol missions would resume, highlighting at the time how, while Russia had halted such flights 15 years earlier, other countries were persisting with them, meaning that national security was at risk.
"Since August 17, Russian strategic bombers have conducted over 70 patrol flights and more than 217 practice launches of unarmed missiles", Major General Pavel Androsov advised the media on the 4th December. He added: “Every patrol flight included elements of a tactical aerial engagement."
The patrols had lasted, in total, more than 40 hours and, overall, 120 or more aircraft operated by NATO members had been deployed to escort them, he said.
US, Canadian, Norwegian, French, British Jets Escorted Russian Bombers
"Military aircraft from the U.S., Canada, the UK, Norway, and even France escorted us in the air," the general detailed, adding that their aircrafts’ pilots has not acted in a hostile way during any of these reactionary flights.
During the years of the Cold War, Royal Air Force aircraft were frequently scrambled to counter Russian Air Force bombers entering UK airspace. However, the Kremlin put an end to the missions in 1992, in light of the Soviet Union's collapse, and the subsequent political and economic pandemonium.
Bomber Patrol Flights Resumed in Line with Russia’s Economic Growth
However, more recently, Russia’s heightened economic prospects have meant a greater focus on military issues, including a drive to develop new technology, alongside the re-establishment of long-distance bomber patrols.
Among the aircraft types involved are Tupolev Tu-95 Bears, Tu-22M3 Backfires and Tu-160 Blackjacks.
Earlier this year, RAF Tornadoes were scrambled to ward off no less than eight Bears after reports that they had infringed UK airspace.
Source – Armed Forces International’s Aviation Expert
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