US Concerned About Russia’s Emerging Strategic Military Capabilities

The United States is concerned about Russia’s emerging strategic capabilities in nuclear, space, cyber security spheres, Commander of US Strategic Command Adm. Cecil Haney said on Thursday.

“Russia has had more than a decade of investments in modernization across their strategic nuclear forces. This is not about the continuation of the cold war <…>This is about emerging capability at a time of significant concerns in Russians execution of their near abroad strategy,” Adm. Haney said at the event devoted to strategic deterrence in Atlantic Council, Washington, DC.

Russian Strategic Bombers Conduct More Than 16 Incursions of U.S. Air Defense Zones

It’s always ‘routine training’ until the training suffices for the real engagement.

 

Russian strategic nuclear bombers conducted at least 16 incursions into northwestern U.S. air defense identification zones over the past 10 days, an unusually sharp increase in aerial penetrations, according to U.S. defense officials.

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Also, during one bomber incursion near Alaska, a Russian intelligence-gathering jet was detected along with the bombers.

“Over the past week, NORAD has visually identified Russian aircraft operating in and around the U.S. air defense identification zones,” said Maj. Beth Smith, spokeswoman for U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).

Smith called the Russian flights “a spike in activity” but sought to play down the threat, stating the flights were assessed as routine training missions and exercises.