#tu-95 strategic bombers

[tomorrowusa]

Yes, Russia is using old tires to protect its strategic bombers from Ukrainian drones.

Russia is covering aircraft with car tires, potentially to protect them from Ukrainian drones

This is the same sort of technology that gave us the recent Luna-25 lunar lander. 😝

All Ukraine has to do is use infrared cameras – if they're even really needed. The burning tires will only make the fires harder to put out.

If the Russians ever need to use those planes in a hurry, they're going to fall behind schedule by having to remove those tires.

[captain-price-unofficially]

US Air Force F-4C Phantom intercepting a Russian Tu-95 (Bear) strategic bomber. F-4C belonged to the 57th FIS at Keflavik NAS. 1970s

[alcestas-sloboda]

all i want in this life is for russian strategic bombers to bomb the fuck out of russia. i want to delete that monitor channel, I don’t want to get the "6 tu-95 strategic bombers are airborne, they are expected to reach their launching points at 03:00-04:30" message. I know that fucking text by heart. I hate it so much.

[usafphantom2]

US, Canadian Fighters Intercept Russian, Chinese Bombers Off Alaska

July 25, 2024 China, Russia

Five of the six fighters that escorted the Russian and Chinese bombers off Alaska are visible in this screenshot from the video released by the Russian MOD and published by Zvezda.

At least six NORAD fighters, including F-35, F-16 and CF-188 jets, intercepted Russian and Chinese bombers inside the Alaska ADIZ (Air Defense Identification Zone).

On July 24, 2024, NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) detected, tracked, and intercepted two Russian Tu-95 and two Chinese H-6 aircraft operating within the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). The intercept was conducted by NORAD fighter jets from both the United States and Canada.

According to the Russian MOD, the Russian and Chinese bombers were involved in a joint air patrol lasting more than 5 hours:

“An air group consisting of Tu-95ms strategic missile carriers of the Russian Aerospace Forces and H-6K strategic bombers of the PLA Air Force carried out air patrols over the waters of the Chukchi, Bering Seas and the North Pacific Ocean,” a news release says.

“During the flight, Russian and Chinese crews worked out issues of interaction at all stages of air patrol in the new area of ​​joint operations. Fighter air cover was provided by Su-30SM and Su-35S aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces.”

One of the Chinese H-6 bombers.

The mission of the Russian and Chinese bombers comes as the U.S. and allied forces are involved in RIMPAC 2024, a large exercise in the Pacific region near Hawaii, that this year sees the involvement of 29 nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, over 150 aircraft, and 25,000 personnel.

Several interceptors

“At certain stages of the route, the air group was accompanied by fighters from foreign countries.”

In fact, footage filmed from aboard a Russian Tu-95 Bear show that at a certain point during their trip in international airspace within the Alaska ADIZ, the bomber was escorted by two F-16s of the 18th FIS (Fighter Interceptor Squadron), including one sporting the aggressor paint scheme; two U.S. F-35A stealth jets and two RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force) CF-188 Hornets.

It is unclear whether all three pairs of fighters were scrambled to carry out a Visual Identification (VID) of the Russian and Chinese aircraft. Considering that at least one of the Canadian Hornets does not appear to be carrying any Air-to-Air Missiles (AAMs), it is possible that the two CF-188s were already airborne for a training mission and were then diverted to shadow the Tu-95s and H-6s.

For sure, the number of NORAD fighters visible in the clip released by the Russian MOD is unusual, if compared to other similar “close encounters” in the same area.

“During the execution of their missions, aircraft from both countries operated strictly in accordance with the provisions of international law. There were no violations of the airspace of foreign states,” the Ministry said. “Upon completion of the joint air patrol, all involved aircraft returned to their home airfields. The event was held as part of the implementation of the military cooperation plan for 2024 and is not directed against third countries.”

According to NORAD, the Russian and PRC aircraft stayed within international airspace and did not breach American or Canadian sovereign airspace. “This Russian and PRC activity in the Alaska ADIZ is not seen as a threat, and NORAD will continue to monitor competitor activity near North America and meet presence with presence.”

NORAD is a unique bi-national command between the United States and Canada. It utilizes a layered defense network composed of satellites, ground-based and airborne radars, and fighter aircraft, all operating seamlessly together to detect, track, and determine appropriate actions for aircraft. NORAD remains prepared to deploy various response options in defense of North America.

An ADIZ is a designated area of international airspace, extending beyond sovereign airspace, where the identification of all aircraft is required for national security purposes.

Air Defense Identification Zone

As explained in other articles, here at The Aviationist, there’s a significant difference between territorial sky and ADIZ.

The Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) is a designated airspace surrounding a nation or part of it where strict identification, tracking, and control of aircraft are enforced for national security reasons. Aircraft flying within these zones without proper authorization may be intercepted by fighter aircraft on Quick Reaction Alert (QRA). ADIZ boundaries often extend beyond national airspace covering territorial waters, and while not defined by international law, any civil aircraft entering these zones is closely monitored and required to provide flight details for identification. Military aircraft not intending to enter national airspace are generally exempt from ADIZ procedures, but foreign military planes within ADIZ may be intercepted, identified, and escorted.

Alaska ADIZ detail

About David Cenciotti

David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.

@TheAviationist.com

[ghostwarriorrrr]

🔴The Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bomber belonging to the Russian army

[dertaglichedan]

American and Canadian fighter jets were scrambled to see off the incoming planes hours before Joe Biden addressed the nation about his presidency.

The Russian TU-95 'Bear' turboprop strategic bombers and Chinese H-6 jet bombers were spotted by North American Aerospace Defense Command.

NORAD detected and tracked the aircraft as they entered the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone on Wednesday, the command said.

[blackros78]

Two F-4 Phantom II escorting a Soviet TU-95 "Bear" strategic bomber

[ukrainenews]

Daily Wrap Up December 4-5, 2022

Under the cut:

Explosions at the Engels-2 and Dyagilevo airbases, if confirmed as Ukraine’s, would mark its deepest attack so far into Russia and against key military facilities used in the Kremlin’s war

Russia said that three of its military personnel were killed in what it said were Ukrainian drone attacks on two Russian airbases.

Power has been knocked out in Sumy after the latest Russian missile strikes, according to the northern region’s energy provider. However, the governor of the Kyiv region said its air defences were working there and told residents to remain in shelters. There were also reports of loss of power and water in Odesa after strikes there.

Fighting in eastern Ukraine continues to be concentrated in the Bakhmut area of Donetsk, according to Ukrainian officials. Serhiy Hayday, head of Luhansk region military administration, said on Ukrainian television that the "Donetsk sector is the most difficult as Russians are trying to capture Bakhmut — and all settlements from Lysychansk to Bakhmut are important for them."

Russia’s 6th mass attack on Ukraine’s energy system kills 4 people, causes emergency blackouts

Nine “Grain from Ukraine" ships with a combined 336,000 tons of agricultural products have left Odesa ports in the past two days, the Ukrainian Ministry of Infrastructure reported Sunday.

“The explosions at the Engels-2 and Dyagilevo airbases, if confirmed as Ukraine’s, would mark its deepest attack so far into Russia and against key military facilities used in the Kremlin’s war.

The Soviet-era Engels-2 airbase, named after the Communist philosopher, Friedrich Engels, is home to Russia’s 121st heavy bomber aviation regiment, which includes the Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bomber squadrons whose missiles have devastated Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

“Based on the location of the airbase, its jets have played a major role in the recent bombings in Ukraine,” said Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the US-based Foreign Policy Research Institute, of the Saratov region facility – 450 miles east of Ukraine.

Lee said any Ukrainian attack on the Engels-2 base was likely to be aimed at disrupting Russian plans to strike Ukrainian infrastructure. “Ukraine has been warning for weeks now that Russia was preparing for a fresh wave of missile attacks on its energy grid. This could have been a pre-emptive strike,” he said.

Citing satellite images from Engels-2, Der Spiegel last month reported that Russia was preparing a new large-scale missile attack on Ukraine.

Lee estimated that Russia kept about 15 to 16 Tu-95MS bombers at the Engels-2 airbase and 15 Tu-160s, which represents the largest share of the country’s Tu-160 arsenal.

Gleb Irisov, a former Russian air force lieutenant who left the military in 2020, described Engels-2 as a “key airfield for the country’s strategic aviation”.

“If indeed Ukraine managed to hit the base, it shows the country is making a lot of progress in their ability to reach bases far away from the battlefield.”

The airbase in Dyagilevo, less than 150 miles from Moscow, also houses the 121st heavy bomber aviation regiment whose jets are believed to have attacked Ukraine.

It also serves as the base for Russia’s only Il-78 tanker regiment, a strategically vital division responsible for the air-to-air refuelling of the country’s military aviation.

“Destruction of strategic bombers will undoubtedly get more attention, but, if Russia loses Il-78 tanker aircraft, that might be the biggest issue for Moscow,” Lee said. “The production of new tanker aircraft is notoriously slow so this could turn out to be the most damaging part for Russia.”

Lee said that one of the main issues for the Russian air force was that many of its aircraft were not housed in hangars, leaving them exposed to attacks.

“It is clear that Russia didn’t prepare plans to defend airbases deep inside the country,” Lee said.

“Despite the fact that this isn’t the first attack on Russian soil, Moscow has been very slow to react and protect its jets.”

The explosions While it was not immediately clear what caused the explosion at either military base, Baza, a Russian media outlet with sources in the security services, reported that the Russian airfield at Engels-2 was attacked by a drone.

Lee believes the drones would have been launched by Ukraine from within Russian territory. “The unmanned aerial vehicle attacks have a relatively short range and they wouldn’t have been able to fly all that way from Ukraine,” Lee said.

The explosion at the Engels-2 airfield led to anger among some prominent Russian pro-war bloggers who blamed the country’s military for the inability to protect its airbases.

“The sheep in the rear continue to demonstrate their absolute unsuitability … Even now, the airfields with strategic aviation are not covered by air defence systems,” Voenniy Osvedomitel, a popular commentator, wrote on his Telegram channel.”

-via The Guardian

Russia said that three of its military personnel were killed in what it said were Ukrainian drone attacks on two Russian airbases.

Two aircraft were lightly damaged, the defence ministry said in a statement. Four other people had been wounded, it said.

The defence ministry highlighted that it had launched a strike on Ukraine’s military and energy infrastructure on Monday, “despite the attempts of the Kyiv regime to disrupt the combat work of Russian long-range aviation with a terrorist act”.

-via The Guardian

~

“Power has been knocked out in Sumy after the latest Russian missile strikes, according to the northern region’s energy provider.

However, the governor of the Kyiv region said its air defences were working there and told residents to remain in shelters. There were also reports of loss of power and water in Odesa after strikes there.

The Guardian’s world affairs editor Julian Borger reports that he has still not heard or seen reports of a strike landing in Kyiv city.

But there are fears this was the first of a double punch, with the first wave designed to soak up the air defences, giving the second wave a better chance of getting through to its targets, potentially the power grid, on a day that started with lows of -7C.”-via The Guardian

~

“Fighting in eastern Ukraine continues to be concentrated in the Bakhmut area of Donetsk, according to Ukrainian officials.

Serhiy Hayday, head of Luhansk region military administration, said on Ukrainian television that the "Donetsk sector is the most difficult as Russians are trying to capture Bakhmut — and all settlements from Lysychansk to Bakhmut are important for them."

Lysychansk is in neighboring Luhansk region and was captured by Russian forces in June.

Hayday said that the Ukrainian military had destroyed a "huge number of occupiers' personnel and their equipment" in the village of Bilohorivka.

"Now they are trying to break through the defense line, as they plan to make an additional bridgehead to expand the offensive. Attacks are taking place there around the clock, this territory is being constantly shelled. Six people remain in the village; those are elderly people who do not want to leave. It is difficult to take out people who do not want to leave," the official said. Amid difficult weather conditions, Hayday said that the "liberation of Luhansk region is very difficult. However, there is a positive thing. Our troops are not far from Kreminna," a town north of Lysychansk that has been occupied since the spring,

Meanwhile, Pavlo Kyrylenko, head of Donetsk region military administration, said that after Russian missile strikes on parts of Donetsk Monday, "emergency power outages continue. Power engineers are feeding the system with backup sources. In general, the situation is stable. After emergency shutdowns, generators are switched on."

He said the situation around Bakhmut "is extremely tense. Claims of the enemy that Bakhmut is taken and they are on the outskirts of the city are not true."

"Most of the people have evacuated from Bakhmut. There are now about 12,000 residents in Bakhmut out of 81,000 before the invasion. The enemy is trying to destroy the civilian population."

The Ukrainian military said that the center of  Bakhmut was hit — and an administrative building, a dormitory, and a residential building were damaged.

Kyrylenko said the Russians also shelled the town of Vuhledar, as well as Kurakhove and Hostre — a kindergarten, four high-rise buildings and seven private houses were damaged.”-via CNN

~

“President Volodymyr Zelensky praised Ukraine’s air defense for shooting down “most of the missiles” fired by Russia at energy facilities across Ukraine in its recent mass attack on Dec. 5.

Of more than 70 cruise missiles Russia launched at critical infrastructure targets nationwide, Ukraine shot down over 60, Ukraine’s Air Force reported. It added that the missiles were fired from the Caspian and the Black Sea, as well as Russia’s Rostov Oblast.

Despite air defense’s stellar performance, Zelensky said that four people had been killed by the attack. “Unfortunately, we still can’t completely defend our air,” he said in the evening address.

Power facilities in three regions – Kyiv, Odesa, and Vinnytsia oblasts – were hit by Russian missiles, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said. Some regions were forced to enforce emergency blackouts to avoid accidents but repair is already underway, he added.

“Russia has tried again to implement its criminal plan to plunge Ukraine into darkness and cold,” Shmyhal said on Telegram. “Thanks to the heroic armed forces and air defense forces, the enemy once again failed.”

The strikes led to emergency power outages in at least six oblasts, including Odesa, Mykolaiv, Zhytomyr, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, and Cherkasy.

State-grid operator Ukrenergo said late on Dec. 5 that all regions would undergo emergency blackouts “to maintain a balance between the production and consumption of electricity.”

Neighboring Moldova experienced power supply interruptions once again during the Dec. 5 mass attack, the country’s national energy company Moldelectrica reported. The Moldovan Interior Ministry said part of a missile was also found by a police patrol near a northern village close to the Ukrainian border. The missile’s origin is still unspecified.

Moscow began its campaign targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Oct. 10. So far, Russia has launched six large-scale attacks on Ukraine – on Oct. 10, Oct. 17, Oct. 31, Nov. 15, Nov. 23, and Dec. 5. The previous attacks have killed dozens of civilians in total and caused power and water outages throughout the country. Ukraine has grappled with scheduled and emergency power outages to conserve electricity as harsh winter approaches.”-via Kyiv Independent

~

“Nine “Grain from Ukraine" ships with a combined 336,000 tons of agricultural products have left Odesa ports in the past two days, the Ukrainian Ministry of Infrastructure reported Sunday.

The program is a humanitarian initiative, with Ukraine planning to send over 60 ships of critically needed food products to Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Congo, Kenya and Yemen.

“In the past two days, the ports of Greater Odesa sent 9 ships with 336,000 tons of agricultural products to the countries of Africa, Asia and Europe. Since the beginning of the implementation of the 'grain initiative,' the world has received 13 million tons of Ukrainian food," the Infrastructure Ministry wrote in a Facebook statement.”-via CNN

[pretordh]

The Russians showed how they launched missiles from Ukraine's energy infrastructure today

This is how the Kh-101 missile was launched from the Tu-95 strategic bomber.

Video proof of war crimes of the Russian army for The Hague!

[beardedmrbean]

Explosions were reported Monday at Russian air base that is home to the country's supersonic strategic bombers just days after satellite imagery suggested the site was being used to prepare for a massive new bombing campaign in Ukraine.

Writing on Telegram, Roman Busargin, governor of the Saratov region, appeared to confirm that several blasts occurred. "The incidents at military facilities [are] being checked by law enforcement agencies," he wrote, stating that no civilian infrastructure was damaged.

The Russian Ministry of Defense later issued a statement attributing the blasts a Ukrainian attack.

According to the ministry, Ukraine used Soviet-era "unmanned aerial vehicles" to strike at its Engels base, in the Saratov oblast, and another airfield, Dyagilevo. Two aircraft were "slightly damaged," the ministry claimed, from "fragments" of the attacking vehicles, which it claimed to have destoryed. Four soldiers were also injured, it said.

The Engels air base, located more than 370 miles from the Ukrainian border, is used by Russia's fleet of strategic bombers, including the Tupolev Tu-160 heavy bomber, also known as the Blackjack, which can travel at speeds greater than 1,500 miles per hour.

News of the explosion comes days after the German news outlet Der Spiegel reported on satellite imagery depicting an "unusual" amount of activity at the airport, which it suggested was a prelude to a "new heavy air attack on Ukraine." Images posted Monday by the commercial satellite firm Maxar shows the base hosting the Tu-160 as well as the Tu-95, or Bear, strategic bomber. Both planes are capable of carrying nuclear and conventional missiles.

Russian bombers have fired long-range cruise missiles as part of the intensifying barrages on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, while taking care to steer clear of Ukraine's airspace out of what military analysts believe are fears they could be shot down by the enemy air defenses.

In the separate reported attack, a fuel tanker exploded at the Dyagilevo airbase, southeast of Moscow. The base is also home to strategic bombers. The Moscow Times reported that three people were killed and two planes damaged by the blast, citing state and independent media.

Mykhaylo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, obliquely referenced the explosions in a post on social media, writing: "if something is launched into other countries' airspace, sooner or later unknown flying objects will return to departure point."

[overanalyst556]

Official Intro.

The Cold War as we know lasted a long time from 1945 to 1991. A time when the world was split between the yoke of East and West. No Matter where you came from, You were living in two different worlds, one of freedom and one of oppression.

After the end of WW2, With the Nazis and Imperial Japan defeated, The only two powers that were in the strongest position to be superpowers were The United States of America

And the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, better known as the Soviet Union.

These two now knew that once the war was over, the guns would now be pointed at each other. The Cold War had begun.

For the duration of the 40s and 1950s decades just like our own timeline, The American and Soviets never fought one another, instead deciding to spread their influence on the global stage through proxy wars, Like Korea or the wars between Israeli and the Arab states.

All the while attempting to solidify their control over the spheres of influence. Thus they began the arms race with both sides developing atomic weapons. The Americans had a head start due to the Manhattan Project and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki respectively.

For a bit, they were the sole nuclear power in the world. However, things changed in 1949 when the Soviets detonated their first Atomic bomb, The Rs. Now the balance had turned.

Mutually assured Destruction (MAD for short) became adopted by both sides as neither wanted to fight the other without getting destroyed. Yet this didn't stop the two from increasing the number of bombs and Military equipment.

The Americans, Under the administration of President Dwight D Eisenhower and Brainstormed by Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, adopted a massive retaliation strategy, which was to threaten severe retaliation on the Soviets, Including Nuclear weapons.

The Soviets, under the new leadership of Nikita Khrushchev, Who came to power after Stalin died, Tried to build up the nuclear forces while also pursuing Detente.

The invention of ICBMs in the late 50s as well as the production of strategic bombers like the B52 Stratofortress and the Tupolev Tu 95 And Tu 16 respectfully, Combined with repeated nuclear tests, Only escalated the tension further.

Now It's the 1960s, and the Cold War was at its hottest. The new US President, John F Kennedy is reeling back from the failed Bay of Pigs invasion.

The Landing, which was supposed to complete the objective of overthrowing Cuban leader Fidel Castro, Had failed miserably with all members of Brigade 2506 ( The Brigade made up of Cuban exiles) imprisoned or killed. It was a humiliation for The Kennedy administration.

The Us had once tried to place missiles in Turkey as a one-up over the Soviets in 1959, However, Turkey refused to authorize the installation of Jupiter missiles in their homeland, fearing retaliation by the Soviet Government.

Plus, The missiles would have been Obsolete by the time they were installed. They would have been useless in the event of a war. So after a lot of meetings and discussions, The US eventually decided to not put the missiles in Turkey.

Meanwhile, In Cuba, Castro slowly started to get paranoid. The Cia had first tried to assassinate him, and now they had tried to do a covert ops mission involving Cuban exiles to bring him down. For Castro, his position was in jeopardy. The Americans were proving to be the aggressor as he had believed. Thus the only way to preserve Cuban sovereignty was to have Soviet troops protecting him.

So in late 1961, He asked the Soviets to give him more Sa 2 Anti-air missiles, which generally looked like this.

The Politburo ( The Soviet equivalent to the Us Congress, although different from Congress) was At first hesitant to give the missiles to Castro and Cuba. But they knew that If they did not comply, they would risk ruining relations with Cuba and they would probably go to the Chinese Instead.

Also, Cuba was nearly 90 miles from the Us. That would serve as a perfect spot for naval bases, where the Soviets could position a fleet of ships there. they were also mostly obligated to help since Castro had come to them and requested aid. It would look bad on them if they were to abandon a fellow socialist brother country.

The Discussion between the members of the Polltiburo lasted almost the whole day. It was divided between pro-war members who wanted to send the Aa missiles to challenge the Americans and those who protested against the action, fearing war.

Eventually, a decision was made: the Soviets would send the Sa 2s plus a huge amount of guns, tanks, and aircraft to the island under a defense pact treaty. In return, the Cubans would have to pay them back in sugar exports and cotton. They presented this to the Cubans, who came to accept the deal (though there were those that protested against it)

Thus what would become known as the Cuban- Soviet Mutual Treaty of Defense and Friendship was born and put into effect on December 18th, 1961, with deliveries starting in February of 1962.

Meanwhile, Kennedy was planning another invasion of Cuba, But not with Cuban exiles. This time, It would be American boots on the ground. He began laying the groundwork for Operation Ortsac( Castro spelled backward) All the while unaware that Soviet supply ships were reaching Cuba.

The Clock ticks a second more to Midnight.

[argumate]

Russian forces conducted massive missile strikes across Ukraine for the second day in a row on October 11. The Ukrainian General Staff stated that Russian forces fired nearly 30 Kh-101 and Kh-55 cruise missiles from Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bombers and damaged critical infrastructure in Lviv, Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Zaporizhia oblasts. Ukrainian air defense reportedly destroyed 21 cruise missiles and 11 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Social media footage shows the aftermath of strikes throughout Ukraine. Russian forces additionally continued to launch attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure with Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian air defense destroyed eight Shahed-136 drones in Mykolaiv Oblast on the night of October 10 and 11.

guess it comes down to whether Russia runs out of missiles before Ukraine runs out of power stations

[andronetalks]

Russia launches massive missile and drone attack on Ukraine: Kyiv

New York Post By ReutersPublished Aug. 26, 2024Updated Aug. 26, 2024, 7:15 a.m. ET The sound of explosions rang out in central Kyiv on Monday morning during rush hour as Ukraine’s military warned of a massive Russian missile and drone attack following waves of drone attacks in the early hours. The air force told Ukrainians Russia had 11 TU-95 strategic bombers in the air and confirmed the launch…

[alcestas-sloboda]

it’s tu-95 strategic bomber time in 4 hours again.

[usafphantom2]

Russia is trying to protect its bombers with car tires

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 03/09/2023 - 17:22 in Military, War Zones

New satellite images suggest that Russia is trying to protect its Tu-95 bombers from Engels Air Base in Saratov Oblast with car tires.

The images, taken on the first day of September, show that Russian forces covered the wing and the central part of the aircraft with tires, according to military blogger Tatarigami_UA.

These tires are strategically positioned along the entire length of both wings and a small segment of the upper part of the fuselage, providing a supposed defense mechanism against potential drone attacks.

"Get ready, because the Russians have once again demonstrated an incomparable innovation. What you are seeing is a satellite image of a TU-95 strategic bomber covered with car tires. According to them, this should protect strategic bombers from drones."

"This doesn't seem to be just a single occurrence. In the satellite images, it seems that the Russians are still in the process of installing tires in the bomber - a new and economical version of the ERA replacement for the Russian air force?" said the blogger.

The idea is that the tires absorb the impact of a drone, preventing it from causing significant damage to the aircraft. The tires are made of rubber, a highly elastic material. When a drone collides with the tires, the rubber will absorb the energy of the impact and deform, reducing the force that is transferred to the aircraft. This can help prevent damage to the wings and other critical components of the plane.

However, it is important to note that this is not an infallible defense against drone attacks. The effectiveness of the tires will depend on several factors, including the size and speed of the drone, as well as the angle and location of the impact. In addition, there is a risk of the tires catching fire or exploding with the impact, which may pose a danger to the aircraft and the crew.

Satellite image of Engels Air Base, with Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers. (Photo: Maxar Technologies)

Engels Air Base, located about 400 km southeast of Moscow and about 700 km from the border with Ukraine, operates the strategic bombers Tu-160M Blackjack and Tu-95M Bear of the Russian Aerospace Forces. The airfield was used to launch many of the Moscow air strikes with Kh-101 cruise missiles in the past: at certain times, up to 8 Tu-95 and 4 Tu-160M were stationed side by side on Engel-2.

Previously, a Ukrainian attack on a Russian airfield in the Pskov region destroyed two and damaged up to seven IL-76 planes. The attack was probably conducted on Russian territory with drones made of cardboard, hardly visible to radar.

Overall, although the use of car tires in a bomber may seem like an unconventional approach to defense, it is proof of the ongoing efforts to find new and innovative ways of protection against emerging threats. It remains to be seen to what extent this strategy will be effective in practice, but it is an interesting development in the field of aviation security.

Tags: Military AviationDronesRFSAF - Russian Federation Aerospace Force/Russian Aerospace ForceTu-95 BearWar Zones - Russia/Ukraine

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Daytona Airshow and FIDAE. He has work published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work throughout the world of aviation.

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[novumtimes]

Russia launches massive missile and drone attack on Ukraine, Kyiv says

The sound of explosions rang out in central Kyiv on Monday morning during rush hour as Ukraine’s military warned of a massive Russian missile and drone attack following waves of drone attacks in the early hours. The air force told Ukrainians Russia had 11 TU-95 strategic bombers in the air and confirmed the launch of a number of missiles. Outside the Ukrainian capital, Reuters reporters heard the…