Remember in September when the US Air Force dispatched F-15s to escort a Tu-160 Black Jack on a 13-hour flight from Russia to Caracas? (See video below.)
Many have reported that the infamous sortie demonstrated a resurgence of a re-empowered Russian Air Force.
But Secretary of Defense Bob Gates doesn't buy it. Not only did he tell the Senate Armed Services Committee this morning that "at $40 oil the Russian navy doesn't bother me very much".
He also dismissed the Tu-160's long-distance flight to Venezuela, one of America's least-favored nations at the moment.
Joked Gates: "When they complained about our escorting their Black Jack bombers I just wanted to say that we just wanted to be there for search and rescue if they needed it."
Many have reported that the infamous sortie demonstrated a resurgence of a re-empowered Russian Air Force.
But Secretary of Defense Bob Gates doesn't buy it. Not only did he tell the Senate Armed Services Committee this morning that "at $40 oil the Russian navy doesn't bother me very much".
He also dismissed the Tu-160's long-distance flight to Venezuela, one of America's least-favored nations at the moment.
Joked Gates: "When they complained about our escorting their Black Jack bombers I just wanted to say that we just wanted to be there for search and rescue if they needed it."
on January 27, 2009 5:23 PM | Reply
That's a serious high-tech piece of kit the Russians have got there. Anyone else notice the navigator using a slide rule? ;)
on January 27, 2009 7:54 PM | Reply
Sorry Mike...
Having the slide rule and the ability to use it might come in very handy when your systems are shot-out or there is no longer any GPS.
on January 27, 2009 8:42 PM | Reply
Had a teacher in High School who was old school, taught me how to use the slide rule.
When they got to the "slide rule functions" in college calculus, I got it all in about 2 seconds.
Don't you be dissing the slide rule.
on January 27, 2009 10:32 PM | Reply
Anyone ever notice how the Russian military aircraft always look almost exactly like our previous generation of the same?
That is a badly reproduced B1 right there, as if Tupolev had some of the drawings and tech data but not all of it.. maybe their spies couldn't get all the stuff...
That giant Tupolev cargo carrier is a ripoff of the C5 Galaxy also..
on January 27, 2009 10:59 PM | Reply
You can also add "Concordski" to the list of look-a-likes.
on January 28, 2009 2:33 AM | Reply
Some more look-alikes: Mig-29 and Su-27, to say nothing of the Su-24. And just wait for the so-called Pak-fa...
on January 28, 2009 5:00 AM | Reply
"Much like a scorpion a weapons system doesn't have to be pretty or elegant to hurt you."
on January 28, 2009 5:51 AM | Reply
Big Dave...what is the giant Tupolev cargo carrier are you talking about???? Are you talking about the Antonov 124? Please get your facts straight! Not all Ruski aircrafts are rip offs of U.S made ones. Some of them are pretty unique and have a lot of capabilities. Try Beriev for one! Try to look for good reading materials regarding aircrafts around the world and not just the U.S. You will be surprised that there are a lot of good innovations that have nothing American about it at all! Try reading about British and German innovations as well. Pretty interesting.
Flying an Airbus, I still carry my CRP-5 with me. Never forget your basics!
on January 28, 2009 2:38 PM | Reply
Too bad the nav didn't use a badass circular sliderule.
on January 28, 2009 3:05 PM | Reply
Just a generic reply to some of the above posts;
"All the Japanese can do is copy American designs." All their aircraft are cheap imitations of American airplanes and we'll shoot them down easily. A6M anybody? Their aircraft were quite good.
They lacked infrastructure to design and build in quantity its replacement and a pipeline for new pilots.
Russia may not have that problem.
on January 28, 2009 9:03 PM | Reply
That is a badly reproduced B1 right there, as if Tupolev had some of the drawings and tech data but not all of it.. maybe their spies couldn't get all the stuff..."
How is it a "badly reproduced B1" when it is larger, faster with more range?
on February 10, 2009 1:13 PM | Reply
Why should a russian aircraft look different than an american aircraft?
Seriously, fluid dynamics, lift and aerodynamics apply to everybody without exception. Everybody, mankind.