Observing a Blind Spot

Welcome to the new century, same as the old century...

Russian navy aircraft made a series of Cold War-style close passes over the frigate Taylor last weekend after its visit to the northern port city of Murmansk, according to a report Thursday, in a chain of incidents discussed in person by the top U.S. and Russian uniformed naval officers this week at the Pentagon.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead was already set to meet his Russian counterpart, Adm. Vladimir Vysotskiy, as part of an official visit by Russian defense officials, so the two used the chance Wednesday to also talk about Taylor’s encounters, Roughead’s spokesman confirmed.

“They did have a productive, private conversation at their level and CNO was satisfied,” Cmdr. Charlie Brown told Navy Times.

According to an online report by CBS News, a “Russian maritime patrol aircraft” — likely a Tupolev Tu-95 Bear — made two low passes over the Taylor “with its bomb bay doors open,” in a fly-by similar to what once were regular encounters between U.S. and Russian crews in the Cold War. The next day, “a Russian warship appeared on the horizon” and launched a helicopter that circled Taylor “at close range.”

Well, the good news is our guided missile frigates are heavily armed to protect themselves from any attack by an old Tu-95...

Hmm.

Well, at least the Littoral Combat Ship that replaces the old frigate will be able to address this problem by outrunning the threat...

Hmm.

Well, we'll just outsource this problem to the 1000 Ship Navy...

Hmm.

Seriously, don't worry about it, military power on US Navy ships under 9000 tons is overrated in the 21st century, and Bear's buzzing US Navy ships is so last century...