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Canadian jets scrambled to intercept Russian bomber before Obama visit
Canadian fighter jets were scrambled to intercept a Russian plane approaching Canadian airspace shortly before U.S. President Barack Obama visited Ottawa, the defence minister said Friday.
Peter MacKay said he wasn't accusing Russia of deliberately timing the flight to coincide with the visit — when Canadian security was focused in Ottawa — but he did call it a "strong coincidence."
"It was a strong coincidence which we met with … CF-18 fighter planes and world-class pilots that know their business," said MacKay.
"[The pilots] sent a strong signal they should back off and stay out of our airspace."
MacKay confirmed the incident at a news conference Friday in Ottawa with the chief of the defence staff and the commander of NORAD.
The CF-18s took off from Cold Lake, Alta., on Feb. 16 after NORAD detected the bomber headed for Canadian airspace. The aircraft never did enter North American airspace.
Obama arrived in Ottawa on Feb. 19 to meet with Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He spent six hours in the nation's capital.
Russian aircraft regularly probed into North American airspace during the Cold War and Canadian and American fighters routinely tracked the snoopers and escorted them back into international air space.
Such flights were suspended for years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, but resumed in recent years as Russia pushed its claim on the Arctic and oil wealth allowed the country to spend more on its military.
MacKay said Canada has seen "increased activity" in recent years.
Canadian fighter jets
When did you guys get a second one? :mrgreen:
Canadian fighter jets
When did you guys get a second one? :mrgreen:
It a kind of a tradition for Russians and Canadians to wave to each other and take pictures.
http://aftermathnews.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/canadian-fighter-escort-russian-bomber.jpg
it's the "If This Was War, You'd Be Dead" hand gesture!
No. Nope. Net. It is ''If This Was War, You wouldn't see me" hand gesture.
Actually America's Hat has a considerable amount of air assets, including almost 12 full squadrons of F-18s.
Actually America's Hat has a considerable amount of air assets, including almost 12 full squadrons of F-18s.
As much as the Royal Canadian military gets laughed at Exhibit A it does have significant assets that really shouldn't get the crap that they do.
We did. Amazing what one can make out of paper mache. :rofl
:lol: did you see me call it "america's hat" and thought you would be cool? :lol:
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