http://www.vny.com/cf/News/upidetail.cfm?QID=142462 Kitty Hawk on "higher alert" since Russian approaches
Thursday, 7 December 2000 17:54 (ET)
Kitty Hawk on "higher alert" since Russian approaches
By PAMELA HESS
WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 (UPI) — The aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk has gone
on a "higher" alert status following three incidents in October and November
during which Russian fighters approached the ship, according to Pentagon
spokesman Ken Bacon.
"They have changed procedures to deal with fly overs," Bacon said, but
declined to be specific as to the changes.
On Oct. 17, two Russian fighters — a Su-27 and SU-24 — "buzzed" the
aircraft carrier deck, coming within "several hundred feet" of the ship,
Bacon said Thursday.
Several weeks later the Russians e-mailed at least two pictures of the
deck taken by the fighters to the Kitty Hawk, Chief of Naval Information
Rear. Adm. Steven Pietropaoli confirmed Thursday. The pictures came with a
"very short" message in Russian.
He would release neither the pictures nor a translation of the message.
The message did not originate at the Ministry of Defense in Moscow.
It took the USS Kitty Hawk 40 minutes to launch its first plane after its
commander ordered a response to approaching Russian warplanes in the Sea of
Japan, the Washington Times reported Thursday.
Two Navy sources told the Times that the Russian planes flew directly over
the carrier's conning tower while the crew underwent training in
international waters near Russia.
Bacon could not confirm the amount of time it took to "scramble" the
aircraft, but attributed the slow response to the fact that the Kitty Hawk,
one of only thre…
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