Space Travel News  
Russia's Strategic Aviation Holds Tactical Exercises In Arctic

A Tu-160 Blackjack.

Russian expedition planted Abkhazia flag on Arctic seabed
Moscow/Sukhumi, August 8 (RIA Novosti) - The flags Russia planted on the seabed under the North Pole included an Abkhazian flag, as the self-proclaimed republic of Georgia helped organize the expedition, the mission leader said Wednesday. "An Abkhazian representative, Dmitry Purim, was a member of our expedition," said Artur Chilingarov, also a Russian member of parliament. "He raised the flag of the republic." Russia's relations with Abkhazia have angered Georgian authorities who are seeking to regain control over the unrecognized republic. Georgia has accused Russia of fuelling separatist sentiments in Abkhazia. Chilingarov said tens of other flags representing different regions and organizations involved in the expedition had been hoisted in the area almost simultaneously. Last Thursday, Russian researchers made the first-ever dive below the North Pole in two mini-submarines, taking rock samples from the seabed to gather proof that Russia's continental shelf stretches out from Siberia into the Arctic across the Pole, and thereby claim the resource-rich territory.
by Staff Writers
Moscow, Russia (RIA Novosti) Aug 09, 2007
Russia's strategic aviation started Wednesday an active phase of military exercises to fly over the North Pole and conduct test launches of cruise missiles, an Air Force spokesman said. During the active phase, four Tu-160 Blackjack, 12 Tu-95 Bear-H strategic bombers, and 14 Tu-22 Backfire-C theater bombers will conduct simulated bombing raids, and more than ten cruise missile launches at the Pemboi range near Vorkuta [in Russia's Arctic], and fly over the North Pole, the Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans.

"On Wednesday, Tu-160 and Tu-95 bombers conducted eight successful [test] launches of cruise missiles at designated targets in northern Russia," Colonel Alexander Drobyshevsky said, adding that the planes made over 40 sorties throughout the day.

The Russian aircraft were closely monitored by NATO fighters during the missions.

The spokesman said six long-range aviation regiments were involved in the exercise to practice interaction with fighter aircraft, air refueling, and overcoming enemy air defenses.

Units of the 37th Air Army of the Strategic Command will conduct a total of six tactical exercises in August as part of an annual training program, the Defense Ministry earlier said in a statement.

According to various sources, the Russian Air Force currently deploys 141 Tu-22M3 bombers, 40 Tu-95MS bombers, and 14 Tu-160 planes.

Source: RIA Novosti

Related Links
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


China Shows Off New Military Hardware
Hong Kong (UPI) Aug 03, 2007
China is flexing its military muscle by exhibiting a model and photos of its new DF31A intercontinental ballistic missile and type 093 nuclear attack submarine, or SSN, at the People's Liberation Army's 80th Anniversary exhibition held in Beijing. Also on exhibit are the DF21 intermediate-range ballistic missile and DF11 short-range ballistic missile. The DF31A ICBM photo has been released for the first time along with the new TEL truck. The range of the DF31A is said to be more than 10,000 kilometers, covering not only major U.S. and Canadian cities but also the capitals of the main NATO countries.







  • UC Experts Detail New Standard For Cleaner Transportation Fuels
  • Indigenous Cryogenic Stage Tested For Eight Minutes
  • Ecliptic Celebrates A Decade Of Successful RocketCam Launches
  • Launch Gantry At Cape A Bridge To The Future

  • ILS to Launch Inmarsat Satellite On Proton Vehicle Next Spring
  • Russian Proton-M Rocket To Launch Japanese Telecoms Satellite
  • A Double Transfer At The Spaceport For The Next Two Ariane 5 Launchers
  • European Automated Space Truck Arrive At South American Spaceport

  • NASA Launches Space Shuttle Endeavour For Station Teach-In
  • NASA Design Challenge Registration Opens
  • Completing The Mission After 21 Years
  • AeroAstro-built STPSat-1 Spacecraft Positions For Shuttle Plume

  • Progress Cargo Ship With Computer Equipment Docks With ISS
  • Progress 26 To Dock Sunday At Station
  • Russian Space Cargo Ship Progress Undocks From ISS
  • Progress To Launch To Space Station

  • Historic Phoenix Mars Mission Flies Actel RTAX-S Devices
  • Spaceport America Design Team Selected
  • Making the Transition From Shuttle To Constellation
  • Houston Wine Company Offers Wine Discount To NASA Astronauts

  • China Trains Rescue Teams For Third Manned Space Program
  • Chinese Astronauts Begin Training For Spacewalk
  • China Prepares To Select New Taikonauts
  • Dongfanghong 4 Ready For More International Satellite Orders

  • Successful Jules Verne Rendezvous Simulation At ATV Control Centre
  • Robotic Einstein Wows Spanish Technology Fair
  • Robotic Ankle For Amputees Is Developed
  • iRobot Receives New Military Orders 14 PackBot Robots

  • Brighter Skies Lifts Rover Spirit As MER-A Gets Active
  • Dallas Professor Helps Mission To Red Planet
  • NASA Sends Robotic Lander In Search Of Water And Life On Mars
  • Extreme Analytical Chemistry Will Help Unravel Mars Mysteries

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright Space.TV Corporation. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space.TV Corp on any Web page published or hosted by Space.TV Corp. Privacy Statement