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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Russian fighter plunges into Atlantic after arresting wire fails
2005-09-07
Russia's navy said Tuesday that a navy fighter jet sank in the North Atlantic after overshooting the deck of an aircraft carrier, although the pilot was able to eject safely. The Sukhoi 33 jet sank in around 1,100 metres (3,600 feet) of water on Monday after a restraining cable intended to stop the plane overshooting the deck of the Admiral Kuznetsov carrier snapped as it came in to land, a spokesman at navy headquarters in Moscow said.
Whoops!
The pilot managed to eject from the plane however and "was fished out in five minutes," the spokesman told AFP.
Another demonstration of Russia's world-famous ejection seats.
Any landing you can eject from is a good one.
The spokesman denied Russian media reports that the plane would be destroyed in its resting place on the seabed in order to prevent secrets on its design and equipment falling into the wrong hands. "The plane was not armed and therefore does not represent a danger," the spokesman said.
It becomes a part of Russia's world-famous submarine fleet. The ones that submerge, and stay there.
Posted by:gromky

#11  The Russian and Chinese navies are now at the forefront of any [escalatory]confrontation with the USA and its Allies - for Russia it means predom ags the USA and Britain in Europe, while for China it means the USA and Japan in the Pacific. I believe Putin and his Admirals wants the Russian Navy to learn CV handling and tactics at any price. The CV's and land-based Air are there to cover their missle subs, whom in turn are there to cover their RR Airborne-Amphib forces and Milog as they leapfrog from island to island, i.e "turtles of war", as they threaten America and Washington with rapid nuclear escalation. This incident is laughable to us now, but expect Putin-baby to act like Stalin and kick the Admirals' butts harder, ala "They fly or you die".
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2005-09-07 23:38  

#10  Mojo:
As I understand it, you go to full power as you touch the deck, then cut it once you snag the (ideally #3) wire. One can speculate that everything was nominal to that point, then the cable snapped, freeing the airplane but without full take-off power. Splash.

Or maybe he missed the wire and was a second too slow on putting the throttle up. I know that I would be sitting there stupified as My plane went into the drink. That's one reason I'm not an aviator.
Posted by: Jackal   2005-09-07 15:39  

#9  Isn't this why you're supposed to go to full power after hitting the deck? Just in case you don't stop?
Posted by: mojo   2005-09-07 14:04  

#8  SOMEONE please tell me who would WANT their technology. PLEASE
Posted by: Uninetle Hupating2229   2005-09-07 13:56  

#7  Once they feel the hook grab the wire they back off on the throttle.

On the U.S. carrier landings I've seen on the tube, the pilots typically close the throttle a moment before the plane comes to a full stop. Of course, maybe that's right when the cable let go. Would be nice to see some video footage to see just what the deal was.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2005-09-07 12:33  

#6  wouldn't this have simply been considered a 'bolter' followed by full burner and a go-around? What Shipman said. They have full thrust on when they hit the wire in case they miss it. Once they feel the hook grab the wire they back off on the throttle. Those Russian ejection seats are amazing, I saw a video of a guy punch out at low level inverted. Seat came out, turned 180 degrees, went straight up and deployed the chute.
Posted by: Steve   2005-09-07 08:42  

#5  Snapping the wire may have taken off speed for a crash and go.
Posted by: Shipman   2005-09-07 07:28  

#4  ...An arresting wire break is a bit more spectacular than even this sounds. The wire has a nasty tendency to start cutting deck crew in half. One thing that struck me though, and perhaps our USN carrier vets can clear this up - from the Su-33 driver's point of view, wouldn't this have simply been considered a 'bolter' followed by full burner and a go-around?

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski   2005-09-07 07:06  

#3  RWV - I like the way they do their "shit occasionally happens" more than our's. Savvy?
Posted by: Captain America   2005-09-07 01:19  

#2  Although I was Air Force, my friends in the Navy tell me the same principle applies to them as well and that, even on the best of aircraft carriers, shit occasionally happens. As they say, nothing to see here, move on.
Posted by: RWV   2005-09-07 01:03  

#1  Hope there training the ChiComs on this technique
Posted by: Captain America   2005-09-07 00:25  

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