Russian “Fencer” buzzes USS Donald Cook in Black Sea
ROS sends us a link to the Associated Press which reports that an Russian Su-24 Fencer, a fighter aircraft, buzzed the US destroyer, the USS Donald Cook, fairly close, too;
In the first public account of the incident, the officials said the Russian Fencer made 12 passes, and flew within 1,000 yards of the USS Donald Cook, a Navy destroyer, at about 500 feet above sea level.
The U.S. warship issued several radio queries and warnings using international emergency circuits, but the Russian aircraft did not respond.
[…]
The fighter appeared to be unarmed and never was in danger of coming in contact with the ship, said the officials. The passes, which occurred in the early evening there, ended without incident. A second Russian fighter jet flew at a higher altitude and was not a concern, said [Army Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman].
Of course, the real danger is if the Russians continue this and up the ante by getting closer with an armed aircraft and the crew of the Donald Cook feel threatened. It’s just Vlad reminding us of the Cold War, though.
The Obama Administration should restart talks with Poland for a missile shield and that would nip this all in the bud.
Category: Foreign Policy
Go to about 1:30 if you don’t want to watch the entire thing……
The inverted flight scene is based on a story … who was it and where?
Oh OOOH!!! I kinda know…..
Well not the inverted flipping off but seeing as how my job has been associated with the crew and specifically Scott Altman, I know that “Scooter” was the pilot that did the “Negative Ghostrider..the pattern is full” flyby of the tower.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/space/05/11/space.shuttle.altman/
WRONG ANSWER:
Apparently this actually happended during the VN War and may be attributed to failed Congressman Duke Cunningham (Naval Aviator ACE) who in a lengthy dog fight with “Colonel “Tomb” Toon” he fired off a cummunicating hand signal.
But I might being making all this up becuase quite franly I just don’t remember and I am late for my beer!
There is one thing I do know, Bernath is not, never was nor will he ever be a Genuine or Honorary CPO!
Negative, MCPO. See below. (smile)
The inverted flight scene was based on an SR-71 incident that occurred over France in 1982. It is documented in Ben Rich’s book, “Skunk Works.”
The pilot was Lt. Col. William Burk. Jr., USAF. Lt. Col. Burk does not ID his RSO on that flight. (smile)
http://hipandthigh.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/blackbird/
I own a copy of Rich’s book. The passage above is indeed in it.
Having grown up around Army aviators, the moment I saw that scene in “Top Gun” I knew it had to be based on a real incident. I damn near fell out of my chair about a decade later when I read Rich’s book. (smile)
I’m giving three to one odds here that Obama and Kerry both have shit their pants. Any takers? They thought a presence in the Black Sea, albeit international waters, was a good idea to you know…look strong. Never expecting Vlad to test their resolve. Let us pray the Russian fighter was acting under poorly advised, local authority and not from the Kremlin. I am not saying we should run from the Russians but I am also saying the Ukraine is not on our table to deal with so don’t be poking the bear over it…needlessly.
I’d never bet against a sure thing, Sparks.
I doubt that it means anything to either of them.
You guys are thinking in the real-world sense ‘us v. them’.
bodaprez doesn’t think that way, if he thinks at all. He has no clue what it means. skerry, on the other hand, is busily drafting a ‘strongly worded protest’ as we speak.
I can’t wait to see how OBungler handles this situation . . . Oh wait, yes I can.
The Fraud in Chief will do what he always does in a crisis. Either go to a fund raiser or go on vacation. He knows how to deal!
If he can’t find a fund raiser, he can always go golfing.
First, he’l go golfing, then to a fundraiser, then on vacation.
people have forgotten the 80’s haven’t they?
Rubbin’s racin’.
That’s the USS Caron – DD 970 – I believe…
flew within 1000 yards at 500 feet? I’m not sure that qualifies as a proper ‘buzz.’ That’s more of a ‘hidey ho good neighbor.’ I spent some time in a p-3 squadron, and I got the impression that we got a lot closer when ‘saying hi’ to american shipping.
From a former Army Grumman OV-1D right-seater…I agree with your definition of a,”buzz”, 100 percent.
A real, “buzz”, gets everyone’s scalp tingling.
200 feet AGL was the norm for P-3 daylight ops. I flew on many a photo run on ships of all nations, back in the day.
The strongly worded message to the Kremlin reads as follows: “C’mon, guys…stop it…STOP IT…I mean it this time.”
Will seek civil remedies due to the creation of a “hostile work environment”. Bad Rooskie, bad! 3 hour sensitivity training module for you. You will feel shame.
Hey, the Ft. Hood shootings were “workplace violence”… just expecting consistency.
“I wish I had a dozen Terry Tates on Team Felcher.”
“Let us pray the Russian fighter was acting under poorly advised, local authority and not from the Kremlin.” Yeah, I’m bettin’ on the Easter Bunny, too. We’ve spent over 5 years leading to this.
David…I was only hoping but I believe you are correct.
I’m sure somebody in the administration writing the apologize to Russia already.
I’m sure they’ll blame Bush for this as well!
+1
I hope the Snoopy Team got good pictures. At 1000 yards they were within range of CIWS and would have had 150 rounds up their ass before they could launch a missile. I’m certain the CO and TAO were tracking him the whole way with their finger on the “blow shit up” button.
Snoopy Team baby … as a BT I was a member .. one of the few engineers … I was way into photography …
“Now Hear This … Aweigh the Snoopy TEAM … Aweigh the Snoopy TEAM … PORT SIDE AFT …”
Might want to pick a system with a better uptime and not maintained by FCs… Just saying… I KEED I KEED!!!!
Our perfumed princes think this is a game, but Vlad doesn’t. That’s the difference. Let’s hope that the military commanders who are actually eyeball to eyeball with the Russians have more anatomy (spine and other parts) than our politicians have.
Sorry, this is not provocative. Try full regimental simulated strikes by Backfires in the ’80’s in the Sea of Japan, then come talk to me 🙂
I remember something to that effect when I was at Kadena in 1984-1986.
/SR-71 Habu BABY!!!!
There was some serious pucker factor shit back in the day…and still is, IMO.
The two-hole can become small.
As my wife said- “We had more balls When we had the BUSH”
Reminds me of the good ole days of the Cold War. Obamanation needs to get his head out of his ass about Russia. He should probably give Romney and Palin a call and get some advice
It is, indeed, déjà vu of the Carter Administration all over again.
Shoot, Ex-PH2, I thought Carter redux was the Arab Spring. I was having flashbacks to Teheran 1979 when it looked like Egypt was going down the tubes – and we were standing by doing nothing.
It’s almost like it’s stuck in a loop, isn’t it, Hondo?
Regrettably, yes.
Except last time we only had a single serving of Carter’s naive idiocy.
It should be “Vlad, stop spying on my ships, you squeaky aardvark.”
прекратите шпионить на моих судах, Вы визжащий земная свинья.
Away the Snoopy Team Away!! When I was on a Med Cruise in 81 on the Siapan whenever we heard that we would all start humming this,
Obama: “Hey Vlad my man! So what’s this I hear bout your plane flyin by our boat? Uhm scuse me… (Hey Kerry, is it a boat or a ship in the Navy? You don’t know!? Figures!) Pardon me Vlad. So what can I get you if you stop that eh? Did I ask you if you have the whole HBO/Cinemax/Showtime/Sports Package? I could get you into that easy! Oh I did. Well how bout a week at Disneyworld, you and the wife? You been there twice, I see. Lemme see what else we got? I know, how bout a dozen blonde, gals lookin like high school cheerleaders! Hey now that’s special. I can’t keep Kerry’s hands off em! Say what? Do I want three dozen women better looking? Well no that won’t make it here. I gottsta have something for ya buddy, you name it. What’s that, wait lemme get a pencil. You want us to pull out of NATO, get our boats out of the Med, shut up about the Ukraine…and what else? A WHAT? Gimme a minute Vlad. (Hey Kerry, you ever give blowjob? Well then are you up for another one? Okay.) Hey Vlad, I got ya the blowjob no problem, yea, in the Oval Office and yes I’ll be here without pants on too. The other stuff I’m not sure about now. Lemme get with the Cabinet and those military guys…uhm, yea that’s them, The Joint Chiefs. Right, right and I’ll get back to you on the rest. So for now we’re good to go with the blowjob? Thanks Vlad…you my main man! Say hi to the wife for me. Huh! Say what to Michelle? Uhm…I don’t think she’ll get the humor in that but I’ll pass it on. You bet buddy.” “Whew Kerry that man drives a hard bargain! I need the translator. He wants me to tell Michelle she’s a buck toothed bitch who could eat an apple through a picket fence. But I want to run it by the translator to be sure. Call those military guys and the cabinet. Damn no golf… Read more »
I suspect the Fencer was loaded to the gills with all the ELINT stuff they could fit.
Jorge, I need your backup here.
What was it, 40 feet? 30?
Anyone know if the picture above is the actual Fencer or just a representative ? That one has no ELINT pod.
No, I just put up a generic Fencer photo.