Yes, not quite forever, but at least since the 60's.
Back then, it was common practice to have a carrier be overflown by a Russian Bear when it sailed to the Med. Mabe it occured in the Pacific also. I don't know.
So, we would spot them, and launch a couple of F-4 Phantoms or whatever that carrier had aboard to observe, "wave" (which usually meant giving the bird) and fly away. Cold war two-step.
This picture is from around 1982 and shows a Russian TU95 being shadowed by an F14 Tomcat from the USS America probably under a scenario similar to that described above.
But the Bear TU95 was over-flying the US Navy going back to the 60's. Occurred during my time on a carrier in '66&67..
Kinda interesting they still are flying the same twin turboprop long range bombers. from 40 years ago. I wonder if they have made as many mods to it as the USAF has made to the B52, which has been up there since the 50's.
It is also cheaper to send these out for reconn. than it is to keep more submarines around to do this.