Russian Strategic Aviation Updates: Archives July 1999-December 2010

2008-01-07T07:36:00.000-08:00

2010

Ten Japanese Fighter Jets Intercept Two Tu-95 Bombers as Russian Aircraft Complete Flight over Sea of Japan, Pacific Ocean (12-14-10)

Russian Anti-Sub Aircraft Disrupt US-Japanese Naval Drill, Exercise Halted as Fighter Jets Scrambled for Interception (12-8-10)

Norwegian, Japanese, South Korean Air Forces Intercept Russian Bombers in Separate Incidents over Arctic, Pacific Oceans, Sea of Japan (11-12-10)

Royal Air Force Scrambles Twice in One Week to Repel Russian Nuclear Bombers near UK Airspace (10-27-10)

Royal Netherlands Air Force Confronts Russian Strategic Bombers over North Sea (10-19-10)

Bear Bombers Complete 11-Hour Mission over Pacific Ocean, Sea of Japan, Shadowed by Japanese, South Korean Interceptor Planes (10-5-10)

Russian Maritime Patrol Aircraft with Open Bomb Bay Doors Makes Two Passes over US Navy Frigate in Barents Sea, Russian Helicopter Circles USS Taylor (9-16-10)

Four Tu-95 Strategic Bombers Complete 14-Hour Mission over Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean and Sea of Japan (9-16-10)

Canadian Forces Pilots Scrambled from Alberta Air Base, Intercept Russian Bombers 55 KM from Arctic Coast (8-25-10)

US, Canadian and Russian Air Forces Hold First-Ever Joint Drill, Simulate Intercept of Hijacked Aircraft (8-6-10)

President Ortega Reactivates Soviet-Built Runway at Punta Huete as "Alternative" to Augusto Sandino Int'l Airport (8-6-10)

Canadian Fighter Jets Repel Russian Bombers near Labrador Coast; Ottawa's DM: Moscow Gave No Advance Notice of Flight (7-30-10)

Bear Bombers Launch Cruise Missiles at Pemboi Testing Site, Return to Ukrainka Air Base in Far East Russia (7-17-10)

Two Tu-160 Bombers Complete Record 23-Hour Mission along Russian Borders, over Pacific, Arctic Oceans (6-9-10)

Russian Deputy FM Visits Managua, Offers to "Rehabilitate" Cold War-Era Strategic Bomber-Capable Air Base (6-1-10; Spanish)

President Ortega Allocates US$5 Million to Reopen Soviet-Built Air Base at Punta Huete, Reportedly to Handle 747s (5-26-10)

Nicaragua Modernizes Soviet-Built Runway at Punta Huete with Special Military Brigade to Man New Control Tower (5-21-10; Spanish)

FLASHBACK: Oliver North Testifies at Iran-Contra Hearings: White House Fears Soviets Intend to Use Nicaraguan Airfield (7-26-87)

NATO Fighter Jets Shadow Russian Tu-95 Bombers over Norwegian Sea (5-14-10)

Japanese, South Korean Jets Intercept Russian Bombers and Multirole Fighter Escort over Sea of Japan, Pacific Ocean (5-12-10)

Japanese Fighter Jets Shadow Russian Bombers over Sea of Japan, Pacific Ocean (4-15-10)

Canadian Fighter Jets Intercept Russian Bear Bombers near Aleutians (4-9-10)

Tu-160 Bombers Invade British Airspace, RAF Fighters Escort Blackjacks away from Outer Hebrides (3-25-10)

Tu-95 Bombers Complete 15-Hour Mission over Pacific Ocean, Near Aleutian Islands (3-24-10)

Bear Bombers, Aerial Tankers Complete Three-Day "Efficiency Drill" over Arctic Ocean (3-19-10)

Four NATO Jets Shadow Two Russian Blackjack Bombers over Arctic, Atlantic Oceans (3-12-10)

Kremlin-Run United Aircraft Corporation to Double Annual Output to 200 Planes by 2012 (3-2-10)

Emboldened by Successful Maiden Flight of Russia's 5th-Gen Fighter, Putin Urges Rapid Development of Stealth Bomber (3-1-10)

Norway's National Intelligence Service Predicts Russia to Curtail Strategic Bomber Flights in Wake of Recession-Driven Budget Cuts (2-3-10)

Tu-95 Strategic Bombers Carry out Mission near Aleutian Islands on Jan. 20 (1-21-10)

NATO Fighters Shadow Two Russian Bear Bombers over Arctic Ocean on Jan. 19 (1-20-10)

2009

Russian Stealth Bomber to Enter Service by 2025; Blackjacks, Bears, and Backfires to Be Upgraded in Meanwhile (12-22-09)

Russian Air Force Commander: Strategic Bomber Patrols May Double (12-22-09)

NATO Fighter Jets Shadow Bear Bombers over Arctic, Atlantic Oceans (12-17-09)

Tu-95 Bombers from Ukrainka Air Base Carry Out Routine Patrol over Arctic, Pacfic Oceans (12-10-09)

Norway Observes Surge in Russian Air Force Activity, 75 Intercepts in 2009 over 3 or 4 Per Year in Late 1990s (12-02-09)

Moscow Think Tank: Revived Strategic Aviation Patrols "Symbolic," Obsolete Bombers Vulnerable to Anti-Aircraft Missiles (12-01-09)

Bear Bombers Take off from Engels Air Base, Complete 16-Hour Mission over North Pole (11-25-09)

F-22 Raptors from Alaska Air Base Intercept Russian Bombers near Aleutian Islands (11-20-09)

UK Defence Ministry Fears Collisions between Commercial Airliners and Monthly Russian Bomber Patrols (11-15-09)

Two Russian Bombers Carry Out 15-Hour Mission over Pacific, Intercepted by US Air Force (11-12-09)

US Air Force F-22 Raptors Shadow Bear Bombers over Pacific Ocean (09-30-09)

Tu-22M3, Su-24M Bombers Test High-Precision Weapon Systems during Zapad 2009 Drill (09-28-09)

Two Bear Bombers Complete Routine Arctic Mission, Shadowed by US F-15 Fighters (09-10-09)

Russian Bomber Patrols, Espionage Exceed Cold War Levels (09-08-09)

Tupolev to Design Russia's New Strategic Bomber; Tu-180 Stealth Bomber Reported to Already Exist (08-20-09)

Two Bear Bombers Approach within 50 Nautical Miles of Iceland as Russian Subs Lurk off US East Coast (08-05-09)

Russian Bomber Flights Increasing Tensions between London and Moscow, British MPs Warn (07-10-09)

Russian Tactical Bomber Fleet Allowed to Fly Again as Upgrades Delivered (07-02-09)

Russian Air Force Grounds Entire Fleet of Nuclear-Capable, 70s-Era Su-24 Bombers after Two Crashes (06-22-09)

British, Norwegian Interceptor Jets Shadow Bear Bombers over the Arctic (06-17-09)

US, Canadian Fighter Jets Intercept Russian Bombers over Eastern Arctic Ocean (06-11-09)

Two Bear Bombers Complete 15-Hour Mission over North Atlantic, Arctic; Shadowed by NATO Fighter Jets (05-07-09)

Russia to Increase Warplane Deployment at Kyrgyzstan Base after US Departure (04-20-09)

Canadian Government Summons Russian Embassy Official to Explain Strategic Bomber Presence near Airspace, Possible Submarine Intrusion (03-23-09)

Two Russian Maritime Patrol Aircraft Fly Within 500 Feet of Aircraft Carrier USS Stennis in Sea of Japan (03-19-09)

Blackjack and Bear Bombers Launch Cruise Missiles, Drop Precision- Guided Bombs at Test Range in Arctic Russia (03-19-09)

Venezuela Reiterates Offer to Host Strategic Bombers, Moscow Waits for Havana's Go-Ahead to Use Cuban Air Bases (03-14-09)

Canadian Fighter Jets Intercept Russian Bombers near Northwest Territories, One Day Before Obama's Ottawa Visit (02-27-09)

Bear Bombers Approach Aleutian Islands Again, Intercepted by US Air Force (02-12-09)

Two Tu-95 Strategic Bombers Practice In-Flight Refueling over Norwegian Sea, Escorted by NATO Fighter Jets (02-04-09)

Two Bear Bombers Conduct 10-Hour Mission Over Arctic Ocean, Fly near Alaska Yesterday, Intercepted by Four US Air Force F-15s (01-28-09)

NATO, NORAD Fighter Jets Shadow Four Russian Bombers Today; Tu-160s and Tu-95s Carry Out Missions over Arctic Ocean, Norwegian Sea, Near Aleutian Islands (01-21-09)

Russian Hackers Penetrate British Defense Computers on January 6, Including Networks at RAF Bases Tasked with Countering Kremlin's Strategic Bombers (01-18-09)

NATO Aircraft Intercepted, Identified 87 Russian Bombers near Norwegian Airspace in 2008, One Less than in 2007 (01-09-09)

2008

Russia to Modernize Tu-160, Tu-22M3, and Tu-95 Strategic Bombers Next Year, 60 Such Aircraft Flew Missions in 2008 (12-23-08)

Russian Relief Plane Arrives in Yemen's Flood-Hit Hadramout Region (12-18-08)

British, Norweigan Fighter Jets Shadow Two Russian Bombers over North Sea, Tu-160 Crews Carry Out 13-Hour Mission (12-12-08)

An-124 Transport Airlifts Four Mil Mi-8MT Helicopters,
30 Military Personnel from Russia to Chad, Supports EUFOR Mission (12-08-08)

Two Tu-95 Bombers Based at Ukrainka Fly Near Alaska, Intercepted by US Air Force (11-27-08)

Russia Confirms Border Guard Helicopter Violated Finnish Airspace in July, November 2008 (11-25-08)

Two Bear Bombers Based at Engels Conduct Routine Nine-Hour Patrol over Arctic Ocean (11-21-08)

Embroiled in Iceland's Banking Collapse, UK Scraps Air Patrols Designed to Counter Russian Bomber Probes near NATO Ally (11-14-08)

Iceland Invites Russia to Use Old US Air Base at Keflavik, Russian Ambassador Feigns Disinterest (11-12-08)

Russia to Renovate Nicaragua's Soviet-Built Punta Huete Air Base, Ortega to Visit Moscow on December 17 (11-10-08; Spanish-language link)

Russia, Venezuela to Hold Joint Air Force Exercise, Simulate Air Attack on Mock Enemy in 2009 (10-31-08)

Russia's KH-55 ALCMs Three Times Faster than US Tomahawk, Give New Lease on Life to Venerable Tu-95 Strategic Bombers (10-30-08)

British, Norwegian Fighter Jets Intercept Eight Bear Bombers over Barents Sea on October 16 (10-18-08)

Blackjack, Bear Bombers Launch Cruise Missiles, Week-Long Drill Part of Stability-2008 War Game (10-14-08)

Tokyo Dispatches Six Fighter Jets to Intercept Two Russian Tu-22M Bombers over Sea of Japan (10-08-08)

Soviets Leverage Global Financial Crisis, Offer US$5.4 Billion Loan to Iceland in Return for 99-Year Lease of Keflavik Airport (10-07-08)

Russian Strategic Bombers to Drill with "Full Combat Payloads," Largest Such Exercise since 1984 (10-02-08)

Tu-160 Bomber Flies within 20 Miles of Inland British City of Hull in Late 2007 Incident (09-30-08)

Visiting Venezuelan President Chavez Observes Centre-2008 Drill Near Orenburg, Russia's Largest Land-Based Military Exercise in 20 Years (09-26-08)

Russian Bombers to Return to Venezuela for Joint Naval Exercise in November (09-23-08)

Bulk of Russia's Strategic Bomber Fleet to Join Belarus' Armed Forces in Autumn-2008 Exercise; Joint War Game Part of Kremlin's Massive Four-Week Stability-2008 Drill (09-22-08)

Tu-160 Strategic Bombers Leave Caracas' Maiquetia Airport for Russia; Top Venezuelan General, Russian Ambassador Send off Crews (09-18-08)

Russian Cargo Planes Use Iceland's Keflavik Airport at Least 130 Times in 2008; Airport Director: Such Landings Increasing (09-16-08)

Russian Military Aircraft Circle Iceland on Six Occasions Since Beginning of 2008, Bombers Spotted Seven Times (09-15-08)

Blackjack Bombers Based in Venezuela Begin Second Patrol Today, Crews to Meet Host Chavez Tomorrow; Return to Russia Postponed until September 19 (09-15-08)

Blackjack Bombers Based in Venezuela to Carry Out Second Patrol over Brazilian Territorial Waters (09-14-08)

Russian Bomber Crews at Engels Airbase Defend Resumption of Long-Range Missions, Relive Days of Soviet Glory (09-14-08)

Tu-160 Supersonic Bombers Deployed to Venezuela Complete Six-Hour "Training Mission" over Caribbean Sea (09-13-08)

Commander of Russian Strategic Aviation Again Raises Subject of Deploying Bombers in Cuba, Idea First Floated in Kremlin Media in July (09-11-08)

Russian Air Force: Blackjack Bombers Visiting Venezuela to Patrol Pacific and Caribbean until September 15; No Nukes on Board (09-11-08)

Two Tu-160 Blackjack Bombers Arrive at Venezuela's El Libertador Airbase for "Training Flights," NATO Warplane Escort in Tow (09-10-08)

Norwegian Fighter Jets Intercept Two Bear Bombers, Additional Russian Aircraft Near that Country's North Coast Today (09-10-08)

Kremlin Media: Chavez Approves Use of Venezuelan Military Airfields by Russian "Nuclear-Capable Strategic Bombers" (09-09-08)

Russia to "Temporarily" Base Anti-Submarine Warfare Aircraft in Venezuela by End of 2008 (09-08-08)

Two More Russian Transport Aircraft Arrive in Cuba with Humanitarian Aid (09-05-08)

Two Russian Aircraft Deliver Tents, Building Supplies, and Food to Hurricane-Ravaged Cuba (09-04-08)

Russian Navy's Tu-142 Bear-F Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft Tests New EW Technology over Barents and Laptev Seas (09-04-08)

President Chavez: Russian Navy, Strategic Bombers Welcome to "Visit" Venezuela (09-01-08)

NATO: No Slowdown in Overseas Russian Bomber Missions During Caucasian War, Troop Presence in Georgia (09-01-08)

US Secretary of State Rice Accuses Moscow of Playing "Dangerous Game" with Bomber Flights near US Airspace (08-19-08)

Canada to Closely Monitor Russian Bomber Missions in Arctic, PM Harper Accuses Kremlin of "Soviet Mentality" Following Georgia Invasion (08-19-08)

Georgian Air Defenses Down Tu-22M Bomber on Reconnaissance as Russia Invades "Former" Soviet Republic (08-11-08)

Two Tu-160 Blackjack Bombers Carry Out 12-Hour Mission over Arctic, Atlantic Oceans (08-08-08)

Russia's Strategic Bombers to Join Navy in Fall Indian Ocean Exercise (08-05-08)

Russian Air Force to Implement Unified Missile Defense System Throughout Commonwealth of Independent States (08-05-08)

Russian Generals Consider Deploying Bombers, Iskander-M Missiles to Belarus to Oppose US Anti-Missile System in Czech Republic (08-01-08)

Izvestia: Russian Bomber Crews "Recently" Inspected Potential Refueling Site in Cuba, Spying on USA; Venezuela, Algeria Also Under Consideration (07-24-08)

NATO Fighter Jets Shadow Russian Anti-Submarine Warfare Aircraft in Polar Region (07-24-08)

Russia Threatens to Deploy Strategic Bombers in Cuba to Counter US NMD Plans in Central Europe (07-21-08)

Bloomberg: Kremlin May Station Bombers in Cuba; Russian Military Transports Regularly Fly to Cuba (07-21-08)

Four Tu-95 Strategic Bombers, Two Aerial Tankers Conduct 14-Hour Atlantic, Arctic Mission (07-09-08)

French Defense Ministry: Russian Bear Bombers Came Within 220 KM of Iceland in June 9 Airspace Violation (07-01-08)

Retired US Air Force Commander Calls Current Russian Bomber Exercises "Sophisticated Attack Training Maneuvers" (06-26-08)

Two Bear and Two Backfire Bombers Based at Engels Carry Out Atlantic, Arctic Mission (06-20-08)

Four Tu-160 Bombers Complete 9-Hour Arctic Patrol, Return to Base in Central Volga Region (06-11-08)

French Fighter Jets Based in Iceland Escort Two Russian Bombers Out of Island's Airspace (06-10-08)

Russian Bombers Based at Engels Carry Out Routine Patrol, Practice Mid-Air Refueling over Arctic Ocean (06-09-08)

Russian Fighter Jets Shadow Finnish Prime Minister's Plane as Latter Crosses Northwestern Russia En Route from Helsinki to Seoul (06-07-08)

Two Bear Bombers Complete 18-Hour Patrol Over Arctic, Atlantic Oceans, Return to Engels Air Base (05-21-08)

Norwegian Fighter Jets Intercept Russian Bombers Twice on May 16, Once on May 20 (05-21-08)

Two Bear Bombers Complete 20-Hour Arctic Patrol, Perform Mid-Air Refueling, Return to Ukrainka Air Base (05-14-08)

Russian Air Force Commander Accuses NATO Jets of "Attacking" Bombers, Threatens "Counteractions" (05-10-08)

History and Current Operations of Tu-160 Blackjack Bomber; 40 Missions in First Three Months of 2008 (05-06-08)

NORAD: Russian Bombers Routinely Probe US, Canadian Airspace Since Summer 2007 (05-04-08)

Icelandic PM Haarde Visits London, Signs Defense Agreement with British PM Brown (04-25-08)

Iceland's Leader Attends NATO's Bucharest Summit, Complains About Russian Bomber Intrusions, Demands NATO Cover (04-25-08)

Russian Bombers Refuel in Flight Under Watchful Escort of NATO Fighter Jets (04-24-08)

Two Bear Bombers, Two Il-78 Aerial Tankers Fly Patrol Mission Over Atlantic Today (04-23-08)

Russian Air Force to Commission New Tu-160 Blackjack Bomber on April 29, Three or Four More Such Aircraft Expected by December 2008 (04-22-08)

French Deploy Fighter Jets to Iceland in NATO Plan to Intercept Revitalized Russian Bomber Missions (04-21-08)

NORAD Fighter Jets Escort Four Russian Bombers, Four Tankers in Another Intercept Near Alaska (04-09-08)

Royal Air Force Intercepts Russian Bombers Near British Airspace 28 Times Since September 2007 (04-07-08)

Russian Air Force to "Drastically" Increase Overseas Bomber Missions to 20 to 30 Times Per Month (04-04-08)

Russian Air Force Slated for March 31-April 4 Mission on Northern Testing Grounds (03-31-08)

US Air Force Gen. Chandler: Russian Bombers Probe Alaskan Airspace 16 Times Since July 2007; Moscow Sending Mixed Signals with Provocative Overflights and Joint Military Exercises (03-28-08)

NORAD Fighter Jets Shadow Russian Bombers, Tankers Near Alaska (03-26-08)

Russian Air Force to Hold Exercises in Far East, Pacific Ocean Between March 20 and 24 (03-19-08)

NATO Fighter Jets Scramble to Intercept Russian Bombers Near Norway (03-19-08)

Iceland Monitors Renewed Russian Bomber Activity, 12 Flights Near Island in Past 18 Months (03-17-08)

Four Russian Bombers Fly Patrol Mission over Atlantic Ocean, Black Sea (03-13-08)

NORAD Alarmed by Surge in Russian Bomber Missions; Soviet Officers to Join Colorado, Alaska Exercises (03-11-08)

Tu-142 Bear-F Naval Reconnaissance Aircraft Flies 2,000 Feet over USS Nimitz, Near South Korea (03-06-08)

Bear Bombers Complete 10-Hour Patrol Mission over North Atlantic (02-29-08)

Russian Air Force Completes Two-Day Mid-Air Refueling Exercise (02-20-08)

Russia Fits Second Aircraft Carrier for Navy Under Guise of Preparing Vessel for Strategic Partner India (02-19-08)

Two Russian Heavy Bomber Regiments Hold Arctic Maneuver, Pilots Practice Off-Base Landings (02-13-08)

Two Bear Bombers Buzz USS Nimitz in Western Pacific, Same Sortie Penetrates Japanese Airspace (02-11-08)

Bear Bomber Violates Japanese Airspace South of Tokyo, Last Incursion in January 2006 (02-09-08)

Twelve Russian Bombers Conduct Exercises Over Arctic, Atlantic (02-01-08)

Russian Pilots to Conduct Missile, Bomb Strikes on Mock Enemy Naval Force in Final Stage of Atlantic Exercise (01-29-08)

Blackjack Bombers Participating in Bay of Biscay Exercise Approach British Airspace, Escorted Away by RAF (01-23-08)

Blackjack Bombers Join Russian Navy Exercise off French, Spanish Coasts, Test-Fire Missiles (01-22-08)

Russian Navy's Ongoing Atlantic Exercises to Include Long-Range Flights (01-21-08)

Russian Air Force Conducts Test Flights of New Tu-160 Blackjack Bomber, First Such Aircraft to Roll Off Assembly Line Since 1994 (01-06-08)

2007

Russian Defense Ministry Denies Finnish Airspace Violation (12-26-07)

Finland: Russian Tupolev Tu-154 Violated Airspace on December 26, First Such Reported Incident Since September (12-26-07)

Danish Air Force Intercepts Blackjack Bombers on Christmas Day, Closest Approach Ever to Denmark (12-26-07)

Russian Air Force Commander: Strategic Bomber Patrols to Continue (12-20-07)

Four Russian Bombers Cross Atlantic, Arctic Oceans, Practice Midair Refueling (12-06-07)

Russian Air Force Commander: Bombers Conducted 70 Long-Distance Patrols Since August (12-04-07)

US Air Force F-22 Raptors Conduct Their First-Ever Intercept of Bear Bombers on Thanksgiving Day (11-22-07)

Bear Bombers Test Cruise Missiles Over Southern Russia (10-26-07)

Norway's Leftist Government: Increased Russian Military Activity Near Coast Not a Threat (10-26-07)

Bears, Blackjacks Fly Near Norway and Netherlands, Site of NATO Defense Ministers' Conference (10-26-07)

Norwegian Military: Russian Bombers Hold "Unusual Practice Run," Send Signal to Western Alliance (10-25-07)

Canadian Forces Monitor Moscow's Bomber Drills, NORAD Denies Russian Aircraft Overflew Goose Bay, Labrador on Aug. 17 (10-24-07)

Blackjacks Appear off Norwegian Coast, Bomb Threat at Norway's Northern Military Command (10-16-07)

Novosti: Russian Strategic Bombers to Hold Exercises October 16-30 (10-15-07)

Photo Shows "Dummy" Cruise Missile on Russian Bomber; 60 Sorties Near Norway in 2007 (10-11-07)

Canada's Macleans Magazine: Don't Laugh at the Bear: Russia Increases Pressure on West with Bomber Missions (10-08-07)

Russia Revives Tu-160 "Blackjack" Supersonic Bomber Production (10-04-07)

Moscow Steps Up Bomber Exercises near Alaska and Canada (10-02-07)

NORAD: Russian Air Force Should File Flight Plans for Bomber Exercises (10-02-07)

Kremlin Media Gloats: "Bears" Once Again on NATO Radar Screens (09-22-07)

Two Bear Bombers Fly Within 43 Nautical Miles of Iceland, Circle Island on September 20 (09-21-07)

Four Bear Bombers Fly Along Coasts of Alaska, Canada and Greenland (09-20-07)

Russian Transport Aircraft Intrudes into Finnish Airspace, Latest of Many Such Incidents (09-15-07)

NATO Fighter Jets Scare Away Two Russian Bombers, Blackjacks Skirt Scotland (09-14-07)

Canadian Fighter Jets Intercept Bear Bombers near Northwest Territories (09-08-07)

Eight Russian Military Jets Fly Near Iceland on September 6, Three Circle Island on August 17 (09-07-07)

Eight Bear Bombers Fly Along Coasts of Norway and Britain (09-07-07)

Russia Officially Begins Strategic Bomber Patrols September 6 Per Putin's Announcement Month Before (09-05-07)

Russian Air Force: Bombers to Average Two Long-Range Flights Per Week (Russian; 09-05-07)

Moscow Holds Backfire Bomber Drills Over Southern Russia (08-24-07)

World Politics Review: Russian Bombers Rehearse Nuclear Attacks Against the United States (08-20-07)

Putin Orders Resumption of Permanent Strategic Bomber Patrols (08-17-07)

Russian Bombers Resume Cold War Sorties, Overfly Guam (08-09-07)

Russian Air Force Holds Arctic Exercise, Test Launches Cruise Missiles (08-08-07)

British, Norwegian Fighter Jets Scramble to Intercept Russian Bombers on July 18 and 20 (07-20-07)

Air Force Commander: Russian Bombers Could Suppress US Missile Shield (03-05-07)

Russian Air Force to Receive Two Strategic Bombers Every Three Years (01-18-07)

Air Force Commander: Russian Strategic Aviation Resumed Trans-Oceanic Flights in 2006, More Than 100 Sorties Flown (01-04-07)

2006

Two Russian Bombers Penetrate Icelandic Airspace Unnoticed on October 5, 2006 (10-06-06)

NORAD Fighter Jets Intercept Tu-95 Bombers Holding Exercise Near Alaska, Canada on September 28, 2006 (09-29-06)

Bombers Hold Simultaneous Exercises in Northern and Southern Russia, Launch Cruise Missiles (08-24-06)

Kremlin Media: Blackjack and Bear Bombers Flew Undetected Through US Zone of Arctic Ocean to Canada (04-22-06)

37th Air Army Holds Command-and-Staff Drill, Second Large-Scale Exercise in Russia's Far East in Four Months (04-14-06)

Strategic Bombers Participate in Combined Force Tactical Exercise in Russia's Far North, Launch Cruise Missiles (03-22-06)

Russian Military Plane Violates Japanese Airspace Near Hokkaido (01-26-06)

2005

Su-27 Fighter Jet Crashes in Lithuania, Russian General Ridicules NATO's Slow Interception (09-26-05)

2004

Air Force Commander: Russian Pilots Ready to Attack Overseas Terrorist Bases (03-12-04)

2003

Pravda: Russia Simulates Attack Against USA, Disables Satellites (05-14-03)

2002

Two Bear Bombers Fly Within 37 Miles of Alaska, First Time Since 911 Russian Air Force "Makes Run" at US Air Defenses (04-26-02)

2001

Russian Air Force Simulates Penetration of NATO/NORAD Defenses Beginning September 10, Terminates Exercise Following News of 911 Attacks (09-11-01)

Five Days Before 911 Attacks MiG-31 Threatens to Shoot Down US Navy P-3 Over Pacific Ocean (09-11-01)

2000

Tu-95 Bombers Deployed in Eastern Siberia, Russian Aircraft Buzz USS Kitty Hawk in Sea of Japan Twice in Fall 2000 (12-01-00)

1999

Russian Strategic Aviation Chief Proposes Bomber Missions to Cuba and Vietnam, Havana "Surprised" by Kremlin Plans to Revitalize Overseas Flights (11-15-99)

Two Russian Bombers Fly Around Iceland, Within Striking Distance of USA (07-01-99)

Once Upon a Time in the West

Russian Strategic Aviation Updates: Archives July 1999-December 2010