CF-18s shadow 2 Russian aircraft over Arctic Module body

Wed Aug 25, 11:31 AM


By The Canadian Press


OTTAWA - Russian bombers have once again probed the edges of Canadian airspace and given the Conservative government more ammunition to sell its plan to buy high-tech stealth fighters.


But the Opposition Liberals dismiss Tuesday's incident as more posturing that won't help Ottawa's new policy of diplomacy with Arctic neighbours.


Two CF-18s fighter jets shadowed a pair of Russian military aircraft as they flew to within 30 nautical miles of Canada's northern border.


The prime minister's communications director, Dimitri Soudas, released a late-night email that said the turbo-prop bombers were spotted about 120 nautical miles north of Inuvik, N.W.T., and were shadowed until they turned around.


Liberal MP Larry Bagnell, the party's Arctic critic, said the Russian border flights are routine and the Conservative government seems to make a fuss only when it suits them.


In his note, Soudas said Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who is in the Canadian North for his annual Arctic tour, was briefed at the end of the mission, but he also used the incident to plug the government's planned $16-billion purchase of 65 new F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters.


http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/100825/national/russian_jets_shadowed