Russian Nuclear Bombers Now In Venezuela.
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The U. S. is said to have tracked the bombers but did not disclose exactly how that surveillance took place
Two Russian “Blackjack” bombers have landed in Venezuela on Wednesday apparently as part of an upcoming joint military exercise in the Caribbean Sea between Venezuela and Russia.
The Tu-160 supersonic strategic bomber was manufactured by the Tupolev Aircraft Research and Engineering Complex Joint Stock Company in Moscow and the Kazan based Gorbunov Aircraft Production Association in Tatarstan from 1980 to 1992. Production has been restarted on an updated model. Eleven (11) of the aircraft are in active service in Russia. The “Blackjack” is often compared with the U. S. built B1-B and is conventional in appearance. It does not have the stealth characteristics of the U. S. built B-2 “flying wing.”
The purpose of the “Blackjack” is the delivery of nuclear and conventional weapons deep in continental theatres of operation. The aircraft has all-weather, day-and-night capability and can operate at all geographical latitudes. The “Blackjack” can air launch long range nuclear tipped missiles.
A month ago Russia threatened to base bombers on Cuban soil triggering the discussion of the second “Cuban missile” crisis but as far as is public that has not happened.
Venezuela’s communist President Hugh Chavez fancies himself as a latter-day Simon Bolivar and has aspirations of building a Latin American empire, and sees Russia ever more belligerent Prime Minister Putin as an ally. Russian naval vessels are in route to the area.
The U. S. is said to have tracked the bombers but did not disclose exactly how that surveillance took place.
Comment by Mike on 10 September 2008:
I find these developments alarming. Last week I read something about the US having a very-high tech naval vessel in the port of Georgia delivering “humanitarian” aid. I cannot recall during the cold war, except during the Cuban Missile Crisis, where the military for both countries were in such proximity. What happens if there’s a miscommunication or an accidental weapon discharge? I fail to understand how Georgia, a former Soviet state, has become such a strategic location to the USA, that we would be playing such a high stakes game of military posturing. I’m all about preserving democracy, but is this a fight we need to engage in? Surely, there must be other options to punishing Russia than this risky show of force at their doorstep. This foreign policy needs more scrutiny.
Comment by sailor on 10 September 2008:
U. S. Russian, Chinese and virtually every other nation with a Navy are often in close proximity. The vessel was not a “very-hitech” ship in any case and the U. S. Navy is often involved in humanitarian missions.
Comment by Mike on 11 September 2008:
“The USS Mount Whitney, which docked in the Russian-occupied Georgian port of Poti today, serves as the flagship of the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet, as well as the command and control ship for NATO’s Commander Joint Command Lisbon and the Commander Striking Force NATO. Some naval analysts consider the Mount Whitney to be the most advanced C4I platform afloat today.”
I would say that’s high tech. Furthermore, it was reported this ship couldn’t actually fit in the port, and that it’s provisions of blankets, food, etc. had to be unloaded onto another vessel. Is this really the best vessel suited for humanitarian aid?
Indeed, I recall the navy positioning a naval vessel off Myanmar in the aftermath of the catastrophic earthquake. This vessel was well equipped to deliver humanitarian aid and had a great capacity to desalinate the ocean water for drinking. But I don’t see this scenario here. By sending this ship,the US is sending a message. This area is an active war zone and while the previous poster states that it’s not unusual for these armies to be in proximity, it may be true only under the scope of war games or routine military exercises. In this instance, the US is imposing it’s presence while the Russian military is actively engaged in live fighting. It’s a provocative enough gesture that warrants an explanation to the American public about what our goals in this region are and to what extent we are willing to pursue them.
Comment by cgil on 11 September 2008:
Tentative answer to Mike
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Could it be that Georgia is not that far away from Iran ? If this the reason, you/I/we may have some reasons to be alarmed…
Comment by sailor on 11 September 2008:
USS Mount Whitney is indeed hi-tech.but the cargo ships are much less so.