Rapier108 said:
one MEEN Ag said:
1950s era bomber flying around. Doesn't bode well for Ukraine's ability to contest airspace with SAMs if a turboprop bomber is flying around.
In terms of age, the B-52 says hi.
The TU-95 can fly high and fast. It is still the fastest turboprop aircraft in operation. If that is what it was, then most likely Ivan knows the airspace in that area is not contested by SAMs which can reach high altitude.
The only reason I mention the age is because basically every generation of surface to air missile comes after the creation of these bombers. Russia's not using a knock off version of a B2 here.
They could dust off SAMs from any generation and it have the capabilities to take out a plane with the flight envelope of a turboprop bomber. (Of course, that doesn't mean there aren't other counter measures that need to be overcome).
Things aren't looking good.