ACIG Database
Bear-Hunters, Part 1
By Tom Cooper / ACIG.org team
Sep 29, 2003, 12:16

An early Bear-Hunter: an F-8 from an unknown USN squadron (VF-174?), intercepted this Tu-95M in the late 1960s.

Above and bellow: sometimes the "routine" operations of the Cold War turned "hot". On 28 May 1968 this Tu-16RR buzzed a group of USN ships, lead by the USS Essex (CVS-9) off the coast of northern Norway. (via Tom Cooper)

Shortly after passing low over USS Essex (CVS-9), the Soviet recce bomber banked and then hit the sea-surface with the wing. The plane carthwheeled into the sea and exploded. There were no survivors.

RAF Lightnings were frequently called to intercept huge Soviet aircraft north of Scotland. In this case the "victim" was a Myasitchev M-4 bomber.

Lightning meets Bear: NATO pilots were advised to fly close to Soviet bombers and patrol aircraft they encountered, and make detailed pictures in order for specific airframes to be tracked and any new equipment recognized in time. Flying as close as only few meters, many NATO pilots took great risks to take good pictures, and sometimes the Soviets would make their efforts problematic by sudden maneuvering. As it seems, sometimes in the late 1960s a Soviet crew of an Tu-95 even caused an RAF Lightning to fly into the sea during a night-time interception.

In the early 1970s the Soviets had a detachment of Tu-16RRs stationed in Egypt. These recce planes had full Egyptian markings applied. One can be seen here after being intercepted by an VF-84 Jolly Rogers F-4. (via Tom Cooper)

A RAF Phantom FGR.Mk.1 shadowing a Soviet Tu-95 Bear north of Scotland, in 1972.

This Tu-95 was intercepted by a RN F-4K Phantom of the NAS 892, flown by a USN pilot on exchange tour, in 1973.

In September 1976 the USN and NATO held large exercises north of Scotland, during which the F-14As from USS John F. Kennedy were for the first time active in this part of the Europe. The Soviets were curious about the brand-new Tomcats and their capabilities, and have tracked the movements of the US carrier that after the exercise also approached Murmansk - despite apalling weather, that made carrier-borne operations extremely risky. Here an F-14A of the VF-14 can be seen escorting a Tu-16PP. (Tom Cooper collection)

Sometimes during the Vietnam War, this V-DA Tu-95 thundered almost directly over the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63): two F-4s intercepted the Bear and escorted it away.

This Soviet Il-76 was intercepted by an F-14A of the VF-211 "Sundownders", over western Pacific, sometimes in the early 1980s.

Sundowners in action again: another Tomcat from VF-211 intercepted this Tu-95MS.

Sometimes not only the fighters/interceptors had encounters with Soviet bombers and patrol aircraft, but also light bombers of the USN. In this case, an A-6E from the USS Enterprise intercepted this Tu-16 bober.

On 19 March 1983, this Tu-95RC was intercepted by an F-14A of the VF-142 "Ghostriders" over the Carribean, while monitoring USN exercises in the area. After the interception the Bear continued for Cuba.

This photograph was probably taken in 1986, off Vietnam. At the time a large USN carrier battle group has been visited by dozens of Soviet aircraft temporarily deployed to Cam Ranh Bay AB, in Vietnam. These two Tu-16RM-2s were intercepted by VF-1 "Wolfpack" F-14As.

Probably also taken in 1986 off Vietnam, this time a Soviet Il-38 was intercepted by the VF-1 F-14A painted in "CAG markings".

In the 1980s the USAF had the 57th FIS "Black Knights" stationed at Keflafik, Island, from where these flew control flights in what the Russians called "#1 Patrolling Zone" NE of Island. In 1984 two "Black Knight" Phantoms intercepted a Soviet Tu-95 and came very close...

On the other side of the CONUS, the then 21st TFW, based at Elmendorf, was responsible for air defense of Alaska. F-15As of the 21st TFW had regular encounters with Tu-95s of the DA (Dalnyaya Aviyatsiya = the Soviet equivalent of the SAC).

Whenever some USN carrier battle grouip would setl out of Norfolk Naval Station, pairs of Bears would "pay it a visit", trying to come as close as possible. Tomcat crews would then try to escort Soviet bombers away before they could come closer. Few such encounters were slightly "hotter" than the usual ones, with Soviet crews pushing as hard as possible towards USN Carriers, like in this case when a Tu-95RC approached the USS Nimitz while escorted by an VF-84 "Jolly Rogers" F-14A.

Another "close encounter" with an Tu-95RC...