From: Bill Lucy 

Out of darkness, Adam Flinton says...

> Flying close my ar*e. just about every photo of a TU95 or even Backfire had
> an F14 or F4 or similar "in the shot" & pretty darn
close. Every country
> subject to similar flights with the ability to send something up to tag
> along will do so. For one thing blasting out emr close up to an electronic
> surveillance craft tends to reduce it's efficiency.
>
> Tornado F3'es used to send 1/2 their life playing tag with elint bears &
> I'll bet a fair few F15'es & F14'es & F4'es did too
>
> It's a "We know you're there" exercise.

Exactly what I was thinking. I've seen many a shot of a Bear or Badger with
"close
air escort" courtesy of the USAF or the USN.

People are acting as if this is a new experience.

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