Russia may base bombers in Cuba

Tyr

Tyr

Council Member
Nov 27, 2008
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Are we returning to the long lost tensions of the "Cold War?" What is Russia's intent and are they justified in their expansion?

Venezuela also temporarily offers island site as Moscow eyes Caribbean


updated 4:19 a.m. PT, Sat., March. 14, 2009


MOSCOW - Russian strategic bombers may be based in Cuba in the future, a Russian Air Force chief told Interfax news agency on Saturday.

Maj. Gen. Anatoly Zhikharev, chief of staff of Russia's long-range aviation, said Cuba had air bases with four or five suitable runways.

Interfax reported that he said Cuba could be used to base Russian bombers if the two countries "display a political will", adding "we are ready to fly there."



Zhikharev also said that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has offered an island as a temporary base for Russian planes.

Zhikharev said Chavez had offered "a whole island with an airdrome, which we can use as a temporary base for strategic bombers," the agency reported. "If there is a corresponding political decision, then the use of the island ... by the Russian Air Force is possible."

Two Russian bombers landed in Venezuela last year in what experts said was the first Western Hemisphere touchdown of Russian military craft since the end of the Cold War.

Cuba has never permanently hosted Russian or Soviet strategic aircraft. But Soviet short-range bombers often made stopovers there during the Cold War.

Russia resumed long-range bomber patrols in 2007 after a 15-year hiatus.
 
Spade

Spade

Ace Poster
Nov 18, 2008
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It sounds like a bargaining chip. Russia is upset with missile defence in Poland and possible NATO expansion into its former territory. Appears like a "What's good for the goose" approach.
 
Ron in Regina

Ron in Regina

"Voice of the West" Party
Apr 9, 2008
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Russia burned some pretty major bridges when the wall came
down, and they financially hung Cuba out to dangle in the wind.
There's still some trade, but they're not in the buddy-buddy
type situation they once where. Cuba is much tighter with China
and Venezuela than it is with Russia....

The big question here would be, "What would be the advantage
for Cuba to allow Russia access to it's airspace with respect to
Russian bombers?" Would any possible advantage out-weigh the
many disadvantages??? I don't think so...

Now Hugo Chavez and Venezuela would be a wild card....but not
Cuba. Venezuela buys huge dollar values of Russian military
hardware, and Russia might strike a deal there between cash and a
mutual defense pact....but Cuba would be VERY cautious of Russian
intentions and loyalty as they've already been burned by Russia.
__________________
 
petros

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
109,393
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LMFAO...bombers and bombs are no longer the "big threat" you think they are. We've already out grown the nuke and moveed on to far more frightening and scary "applications".
 
Tyr

Tyr

Council Member
Nov 27, 2008
2,152
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Sitting at my laptop
Ron in Regina said:
Russia burned some pretty major bridges when the wall came
down, and they financially hung Cuba out to dangle in the wind.
There's still some trade, but they're not in the buddy-buddy
type situation they once where. Cuba is much tighter with China
and Venezuela than it is with Russia....

The big question here would be, "What would be the advantage
for Cuba to allow Russia access to it's airspace with respect to
Russian bombers?" Would any possible advantage out-weigh the
many disadvantages??? I don't think so...

Now Hugo Chavez and Venezuela would be a wild card....but not
Cuba. Venezuela buys huge dollar values of Russian military
hardware, and Russia might strike a deal there between cash and a
mutual defense pact....but Cuba would be VERY cautious of Russian
intentions and loyalty as they've already been burned by Russia.
__________________
Click to expand...

The big question here would be, "What would be the advantage
for Cuba to allow Russia access to it's airspace with respect to
Russian bombers?" Would any possible advantage out-weigh the
many disadvantages??? I don't think so...

Russia would have to be willing to spend some significant roubles in Cuba coupled with supplying military hardware and infrastructure upgrades (air facilities)

With Cuba and the USA playing footsies again after so long, I think Cuba would have a concern with risking their burdgeoning relationship with the states
 
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