http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3028721.stm

“Russia tests its heavy bombers

Tu-95: Workhorse of Russia’s bomber fleet
Heavy Russian bombers which challenged Nato military planners during the Cold War have taken to the air again to strike targets with cruise missiles in the Indian Ocean.

Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers flew the 12-hour round mission from southern Russia on Wednesday in the first such exercise since the collapse of the USSR, the Russian authorities said.

The Tu-95s released two cruise missiles which successfully found their targets before returning to base, Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov said in Moscow.

News of the exercise, which was part of joint Russo-Indian naval games, came as US Secretary of State Colin Powell visited Moscow and the Russian Parliament ratified a nuclear arms reduction treaty with the US.

This is what we exist for

Mikhail Shishkin
Tu-160 commander
Air crews who spoke to Russia TV at their base in Saratov ahead of the mission said they were happy to be back flying full missions again after years of uncertainty.

The long-range bombers did not fly at all between 1992 and 1998, its correspondent said.

“The crews have to demonstrate that they can perform combat tasks – this is what we exist for,” said Mikhail Shishkin, commander of one of the two Tu-160s which, along with four Tu-95s performed the mission.

Pilots said they had long been in training for the mission but only received their orders on the last day before take-off.

Vajpayee visit

The naval exercises in the Indian Ocean also coincided with a visit to Moscow by Indian Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha.

Apart from talks with Mr Powell, the Indian minister met Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov to discuss trade and economic relations.

Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is expected to visit Russia shortly to attend celebrations marking the 300th anniversary of St Petersburg, Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin told supporters.

World leaders including US President George W Bush are due to attend the lavish festivities there at the end of the month. “

Guess the nation that let the Strategic Aviation out into the Indian Ocean?

TJ