They know they can't hide it from us, but what is it?

It sounds amazing that the pilot saved it.

they are some of the best trained pilots in the world

and re-enact scenes from top gun

First thing that came to my mind.

I wouldn't be surprised if none of the pilots on either side were even born when that movie came out.

Who wants to bet that Russia's stunt was coordinated with the Trump White House as a way to make Russia seem hostile to the Trump regime?

It is a far-fetched notion, but it would not surprise me.

If it is not a stunt, it borders on provoking a military response.

So it might not be theater, just Putin getting his money's worth.

I keep thinking the same thing. It's just too close to the sanctions dismissal that is signaling constitutional crisis.

The dude flew more than 200 different types of military aircraft, foreign and domestic.

He came out to where we were holding a rocket launch, I was prepping a 7.5' tall, 4" diameter rocket and someone starting asking me questions which isn't unusual. What was unusual was me almost having a heart attack when I turned around and saw who it was.

They've been ramping this stuff up for at least several years now. I tend to think it's more of them just trying to assert their dominance in the region. You know, normal dick waving. Just hope it doesn't someday lead to war.

Have for a long time.

Thanks, Trump.  

We do it to them, they do it to us...big game till someone gets hurt. Then it's a blame game.
m

P3s are big and slow. Any US pilot who tried playing chicken with a plane with less ability to get out of the way would be court martialed. We do indeed intercept Russian and Chinese planes all the time, but no way would a pilot risk (a) his/her life and (b) a multimillion-dollar piece of equipment by pulling such an extreme stunt.

This is more or less what happened in 2001, when a Chinese jet collided with a P3. It was in what China considers its airspace and the rest of the world considers international airspace. Our plane was forced to land on Hainan island (where they were briefly detained, and where the p3 was presumably dissected) and the Chinese pilot was killed. The new Bush administration (this was before 9-11) handled it very ham-handedly, but the fault really did lie with the Chinese pilot.

Like you said it would not be a fair fight. I love the P3 btw.. .great airframe..
What I meant was how we spar with the "opposition" and them with us. A buddy of mine was on a sub back in the '70s. They were messing around with a russian sub and they touched under water.. Both surfaced with just scratched paint. Both sides had guns drawn during the inspections. Then there was the Pueblo incident.. We said we were in international waters but REALLY close. North Korea said we weren't and they grabbed the boat... Russians would always send jets to test our response time up in Alaska. Just turn away when in range of US jets... Didn't work out so well when we sent up a SR-71.. Caught 'em red handed.. pardon the pun..

m

are what pilots like that are called by good
pilots on all side...

Last edited Wed Jan 31, 2018, 05:15 PM - Edit history (1)

Link to tweet

Last I heard, the Black Sea bordered a good portion of Russia and the old Soviet Union area. WHY is our military even INTERESTED in the Black Sea? This is oppressive imperialism at its worst.

Yes, Russia prevented Hillary from winning. I got that, but that's the result of a Putin/Trump power collusion, and I refuse to play into national politics (unless it rightly denounces Trump, American Republicans, and anti-progressives in general). We need to DIVEST all our money going into the military and giving it to our undocumented citizens, who should be allowed to vote in 2018 in any case. This is outright Republican tyranny to the highest degree and MUST be fought against.

Russia's borders with the Black Sea are very small - I suggest you take a look at a map.

And let's not forget Russia's imperialistic ambitions in the Ukraine.

Remember, Russia is a partner in our progressive agenda achievement, despite the attempt of Putin to partner with Trump and the Republicans to steal everything away from the people. But that's another matter entirely. The issue is US military oppression, not Putin/Trump collusion.

problem solved.

Only when Amrican troops serve under NATO leadership DIRECTLY will I consider your statement a truism. Until then it is strictly enforcing US strongarm, oppressive tactics. I'd say the problem is exacerbated, not solved.

Yes stoning gays, doing away with that pesky democracy, trying to kill others based on their religion, Hamas, what a great bunch of guys!!

as far as I know they oppose gay rights, women's rights and democracy in general.

Yeah, those Hamas guys are real role models for democracy and equality.

wow. so much for freedom and equal rights. Just curious, what other countries are you eager to emulate??

Mikhail Gorbachev, the one man who prevented Ronald Reagan from greatly escalating the Cold War, is the real focus on why the Russian people are more acutely aware of progressive policies. They are currently run by a despot Trumpian named Putin, but that doesn't mean that the country itself is at fault. Remember, they don't have the equivalent of a Republican Party so they, by definition, are more progressive and just than the United States.

Russia is certainly NOT more progressive then the US.

As for "We need to DIVEST all our money going into the military and giving it to our undocumented citizens, who should be allowed to vote in 2018 in any case"

You cannot be serious. I'd bet only a tiny number of DUers would agree with such nonsense. Not to mention it would be totally illegal to do such an act
How about bringing back the "poll tests" while we're at it, just to make sure everyone voting is smart enough TO vote?

Edit your post to add the sarcasm thingy!

"I'd bet only a tiny number of DUers would agree with such nonsense. Not to mention it would be totally illegal to do such an act (allowing undocumented citizens to vote)."

No act is illegal if enough people vote to make it legal. That is the entire point of immigration in any case. Republican economic, environmental, and racial policies have turned beautiful, diverse countries into shells for US and Western business interests, forcing their people to come to the United States for relief, and we need to let them have a say to repel the rapacious, white supremacist corporations from enforcing their will against non-whites. This is not only the ethical thing to do, but the only way that allows humanity to even survive.

Because never before in history has a country survived that allows itself to be inundated with migrants.
You only need to look to the EU and see whats happening with their social systems

every ill in the world is the US or Western nations fault?

Platform and can loiter over an area for extended periods of time.

Given the location of the Black Sea, and given the current geo-political climate, I imagine that the brass in Washington think it's important to watch the area.

And they deserve free money why?

And the military comes in handy when you get attacked, unless you think China, Iran, N Korea etc all have our best interest in mind....and if you do I have a bridge for sale.

Five INCHES?
Now we're talking 'close formation'.

Good to see you, sir!

And you.

It's happening.

Probably an unnecessarily dramatic way to pay off Nunes & co, but it gets the job done.

It was off the coast of Puerto Rico.
My squadron was participating in a joint military exercise.
There was a 'trawler' lurking off the coast, monitoring our radio traffic.
It was a Russian spy ship.
We knew it.
They knew we knew it.
And we knew they knew we knew it.

I was flying my trusty RF-84/F photo-recon fighter.


Forward camera bay was loaded with color movie film.
I was briefed to locate the ship and buzz it at lowest possible level while filming.
If I had done that at any other time, not under orders, I would hve faced some pretty heavy penalties.
It was like a license to steal.

I found the boat and just whupped up on it for about 30 minutes.
I could see guys scurrying for cover (I was LOUD!) aand hatches slamming shut.

This kind of stuff was common during the cold war.
Looks like we're back to cold war rules again.
More's the pity.
Thanks Donnie Two-Scoops.