Three Russian Bombers, 40 Iranian Missiles, and One U.S. Carrier: The Four Hours That Nearly Sparked a Gulf War.lh

At 14:42 local time, radar screens aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln flashed with three unmistakable signatures approaching from the northeast. The electronic profiles left little room for doubt: Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers—among the largest and most powerful combat aircraft ever built—were inbound at high speed.

Moments later, four additional contacts appeared on scope. Su-35 fighters, Russia’s premier air superiority aircraft, flanked the bombers in тιԍнт formation.

Routine carrier operations shifted instantly into crisis posture.