Cuban Bears

[Son of Damian]

During early 1980 the Soviet Union's economy was beginning to suffer due to its command based system. The Soviets began to look for cost cutting measures in an attempt to stave off the inevitable. One program that was devouring funds were the flights taken Tupolev Bears by to Cuba for short periods to spy on American military forces in the Caribbean. The long periods of flight over the open ocean were a waste of fuel, aircraft, and aircrew use. So it was decided to end the flights. This was meet with protests from Havana and Fidel who argued that the Russian aircraft were integral not only to the defense of Cuba but to Communism.


(Photo barrowed from acig.org article Bear Hunters Pt.4 http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_393.shtml)

The arguing continued for several weeks until the Soviets realized that they could stand to earn some serious capital from the Cubans if they simply sold them the aircraft they desired. The Cubans were initially hostile to the offer, stating that shouldn't have to buy the aircraft from the Soviets if they were willing to foot the cost of fuel. Or more simply, a squadron of bears should be 'permanently' stationed in Cuba. But neither of those arrangements sat well in Moscow. Especially the idea of stationing a squadron of planes and pilots, that would be lost almost 'instantly' in a region that was not likely to see socialist victory if the cold war turned hot. Really the Soviets were desperate for money, and they stood to earn a great amount by selling the Cubans the aircraft they desired. Not to mention the fact that the Cubans would continually need to buy spare parts, and occasional electronics upgrades.      

A deal was finally reached in July 1980, and it was a big one, though not as big a deal as the Cubans thought they were getting, as they were not paying a 'reduced' price per aircraft but the regular aircraft cost. Yes, the Soviets lied to make a little extra money. But still the Cuban order was large, 12 Tu-95RT Bear-D's (ENLIT version) with two being attrition replacements, 18 Tu-95U Bear-E's (Photo Recon version) with two being attrition replacements, 32 Tu-142 Bear-F's (Anti-Submarine version) with two being attrition replacements, and 18 Tu-95M Bear-A's for pilot and aircrew training, attrition replacement, and 'secondary' duties.

Initially the Soviets were weary of selling the Bear-A's to the Cubans as they feared that they would be used as heavy conventional bombers, and cause 'diplomatic' problems with America. But eventually the Cubans managed to convince them that they would only be used for training, potential conversion to another model as an attrition replacement, and as 'decoys'. All Cuban Bear Es and Fs where equipped to carry the Kh-22H ASM on under wing pylons.  

In August 1980 a small select group of Cuban pilots, technicians, and aircrew were sent to Russia for training. They returned in December with their airplanes (Bear A's), as another small group was also sent to Russia for training. The first group then became instructors in the Cuban pilot and aircrew training program. By June 1981 enough crews had been trained (in both Cuba and Russia) and aircraft delivered that the first operational missions were taking place. And by the end of 1981 almost half of the Cuban aircraft order had been delivered and were operational. All aircraft were delivered and operational by the summer of 1982.

Initially, the Cuban bears was wore the original paint scheme applied at the Russian factories. But eventually they received the standard Cuban two tone camouflage of olive green and sea blue-green.    



The US rapidly became aware that Cuba had acquired the Bear, which caused much consternation in the Department of Defense. Through its own ENLIT aircraft, spy satellites, sources in the Soviet Union and Cuba, intercepts by USAF and ANG fighters, and encounters by coast guard aircraft, the US was able to develop an accurate picture of the use and variants of the Cuban bears.

Cuban bears regularly undertook flights as far north as Massachusetts, as far west as the US/Mexico border, and as far south as French Guiana and northern Brazil. US Navy ships in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and Atlantic were routinely shadowed. And another problem soon began to emerge in that the bears often violated the airspace of the many small islands of the Caribbean, particularly the Bahamas. It became such a problem that the Bahamas decided that an expansion of their 'defense forces' which were essentially none existent. As a result the Bahamian Air Defense Forces was created, which initially operated F-5E Tiger II but was among the first of many export customers of for the Northrop F-20 Tiger shark.      

Following the coup d'état in Grenada on October 19, 1983 against Maurice Bishop by the People's Revolutionary Government, Fidel Castro saw an opportunity to create an ally and a strategic base for Cuba. Within hours Cuba forces were being deployed to the island, including IL-76s, Mig-21s, Mig-23s, and Tupolev Bears. One Bear D, two Bear Es, six Bear Fs, and ten Bear As were deployed to the recently completed airfield on the island.

The hard-line communist take over of the island and the rapidly growing Cuban military presence was sure to draw a US response. And it came six days later after the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States appealed to the US for help. The opening move in Operation Urgent Fury was the attack on the airfield by F-111s flying from Puerto Rico in what is often considered a precursor to Operation Eldorado Canyon. The strike caught all the Cuban aircraft on the ground except two Mig-23s that were shot down by USN F-14s. It would come as a surprise to the Americans Rangers that seized the airstrip that not all the aircraft were destroyed on the ground, the sole survivor being a Tu-95RT Bear-D.

After the fighting was over, the main resistance being supplied by a battalion of Cuban troops, American intelligence experts descended on the island. As they sifted through the destruction at the airfield they were shocked to find a completely operational Bear D in flying condition, and that the Cubans had modified their Bear As into heavy conventional bombers. The windfall of this discovery, as well as the fact the vast quantities of information on the many different types of Russian aircraft had fallen into American hands because of Fidel's incompetence instantly soured Soviet Cuban relations.

By January 1, 1984 the Russian embassy in Havana was empty and Russian funding for the Cuban economy had ended. Cuba's economy crashed after most nations in the Caribbean and many other nations that had formerly traded with the island joined the US and Soviet Union by imposing a trade embargo.

The situation for the Cuban bear fleet was dire. By 1985 the US military estimated that only 10-15 were operational, due to the lack of spare parts and aviation fuel. But Fidel would not be done in just yet. In late 1985 or early 1986 (depending on your source) Fidel Castro began secret talks with china in an attempt to alleviate the severe economic depression in Cuba. China's poor relations with the USSR had been a severe problem in the Chinese acquiring new weapons, specifically heavy bombers. For a rather vast some of money, fuel, spare parts, and other economic necessities Fidel agreed to sell China eight complete Bears (two of all four versions that Cuba had purchased) with documents such as blue prints and maintenance manuals. So that China could undertake mass production of the bear.        

In October of 1986 the very first pre-productions models of the bear rolled off of the production line in China. And the bear received the Chinese designation H-7. China continues to produce the bear to this day, in ENLIT, anti-submarine, photo recon, tanker, heavy bomber, nuclear bomber, maritime recon, weather research, VIP transport, and many other versions. As a result of this agreement the Cuban bears were able to reach a 90% serviceability rate.  

Cuba made other attempts to profit from its bears by offering a similar deal to India. But this fell through after New Delhi was pressured by Moscow and Washington. An attempt was also made with North Korea but this fell through because it was cheaper for the North to simply buy Chinese made bears.

Cuba's economy would again be plunged into chaos after the Tiananmen Square incident. Trade embargos imposed by western nations against China, indirectly affected Cuba when China drastically cut back on spare parts and other shipments, and eventually ended the agreement all together.      

Short there after, there was a series of defections by Cuban bears, nine-teen in all, most of these to the US, Bahamas, Jamaica, Bermuda, Mexico, Brazil, and Barbados. Originally pilots preferred to go to the US, but when Fidel himself ordered Migs to shadow and shoot down any suspected defector, the pilots had to get creative. There was also a tendency for the pilots and aircrew to bring their families along with them.  

Interestingly the Bahamian Air Defense Force impressed all (4) of the bears that defected to the islands. After of course, US intelligence experts had taken all of the soviet electronics out of the aircraft. One former Cuban bears also entered US Coast guard service as well after it 'defected' to a US Coast guard base out side of Miami. It is still being used by the Coast Guard and NOAA to track and monitor hurricanes far out in the Atlantic.        

But Fidel Castro's regime all came to an end in 1991 shortly after the USSR, China, and North Korea (the latter reuniting with the South) all ended their 'experiment' with communism, when he was assassinated in a coup d'état that returned Cuba to democracy.

Cuba still operates its bears today, but in a more peaceful role. Shortly after the coup the US lifted its trade embargo and the Cuba economy skyrocketed. With the new found wealth the Cuban bears were given a new lease on life. All of the bears were sent to Russian for a total tear down rebuild of the airframes, as well as a trip to the US to replace the older Soviet electronics with superior American electronics such as Flir and INS. Shortly there after all the bears were then taken over by the new Cuban Coast Guard, which boasts one of the highest success rates in maritime rescue missions. With their exceptional long range advanced avionics and planned future upgrades all the Cuban Coast Guard bears are projected to be in service until 2050!  


I'm sorry I didn't give more detailed information on squadron numbers, location, and avionics but I'm not that knowledgeable in those areas.    

[Archibald]

IMPRESSIVE!!!
Fantastic... as the Bears regularly overfly the French Guyana and particularly, the Kourou spaceport, France finally send a squadron of Mirage F1C-200 in Cayenne airport.  The planes arrived in January 1984, after 5 flight refueling over the Atlantic. They regularly intercepted Tu-142 but never shot a fire in anger...
In fact, each time a Ariane rocket was launched, a Cuban Bear was cruising at distance to monitor the launch. So the F1s were scrambled to intercept them...

[Shasper]

SoD, I owe you bigtime! now I can do my bahamian AF F-20!


Shas B)

[Son of Damian]

SoD, I owe you bigtime! now I can do my bahamian AF F-20!


Shas B)  

I considered saying something in the story along the lines of

'As a result the Bahamian Air Defense Forces was created, which initially operated the F-5E Tiger II flown by US, Canadian, and British volunteers. And was the first of many export customers of for the Northrop F-20 Tiger shark in what would become the 'Second' deal of the century. When Northop won a contract to replace all F-5s, F-104s, and Fiat 91s in Nato service. As well as the contract to replace the againg F-106s and F-4s in ANG service. Other customers would include Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaya, Thailand, Pakistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Isreal, Egypt, South Africa, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Venezuela, Argentina, Chile, Boliva, and Barbados.'    

But I though it was a secondary story that detrackted from the main story. The real reason I had intended to include it was to 'inspire' Sentinel Chicken to maybe do some more F-20 Tigershark profiles.  

And the real reason I wrote the story was to inspire some of the people at this site to maybe do some profiles or models based on the story. ^_^