At least 4 Russian nuclear capable TU-95 Bear H long range strategic bombers flew within 50 miles of the northern California coast line earlier this week.
In direct response the United States Air Force scrambled 2 F-22 fighter jets to intercept the air crafts.
Previous reports indicate Russian bomber skirted UK airspace in Europe, Guam, Japan and now northern California coast.
According to the entertainment based, corporate owned news service CBS:
“Major Beth Smith of North American Aerospace Defense Command, said that the long range Russian bombers never officially entered the U.S. airspace when two NORAD fighter jets made visual contact with them. The incident occurred about five hours after Russian bombers and a refueling tanker were seen entering the so called Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), airspace that extends about 200 miles from the U.S. coast. The Russian aircraft left the ADIZ after being identified by two fighters from the Alaskan NORAD region, Smith said.”
Source: NORAD: Fighter jets scrambled after Russian bombers spotted off California http://www.cbsnews.com/news/norad-fighter-jets-scrambled-after-russian-bombers-spotted-off-california/
I tried unsuccessfully to verify the information contained in the CBS report with Major Smith, but NORAD officials didn’t respond to our emails or telephone calls and were uncooperative in the process.
In the past CBS news has previously misrepresented facts in their reporting on the news.
Source: ’60 Minutes’ Review Finds Major Errors In Handling Of Benghazi Story http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/26/60-minutes-review-benghazi-errors_n_4345182.html
It should be noted that NORAD response was too little too late in this case and took, by their own admission 5 hours to scramble two fighter jets to intercept the bombers – which reached within 50 miles of the US coastline off California.
Which is totally inadequate to prevent a real attack!
See related video:Russian bomber skirt US coastline http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ivh742Hn6U4
To be clear, the TU-95 is not only a strategic long range bomber but a standoff (nuclear equipped) cruise missile carrier capable of carrying 6 KH-55 Granat (NATO designation: AS-15 KENT) missiles.
It can launch those cruise missiles from 1800 miles away and still strike their targets with pinpoint accuracy.
See video: Tu-160 launches AS-15 H Kent missile http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY_IKyoBAqA
See video: TU-95 World’s fastest propeller driven aircraft http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou87i6Oq5M0
If you draw a map from various points along the northern coast of California where the Russian bombers were supposedly intercepted and extend that out it will encompass many major U.S. population centers and military bases.
Like I said had this been an actual attack and the 4 Russian bombers were successful in launching their 6 missiles at six different targets each, you had the potential for 24 different targets being destroyed by nuclear explosions (4 bombers x 6 cruise missiles = 24 targets) at least the size of the detonations at Hiroshima in Japan during WWII, only probably on a scale of 10 times more powerful!
A list of potential targets include: Seattle Washington, Portland Oregon, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Glendale Arizona, Las Vegas Nevada
The incident is a wake up call for us. In terms of a readiness exercise on the part of the Russians it would have been a complete success.