Syrian/Iraq air war and conflict

[the concerned]

We have all seen the reports where Russian pilots have shown arrogance with regards to international encounters the bottom line is that Russia needs to control its pilots to makes sure they don't provoke situations

[Thunder]

So Turkey violating Greek airspace 2244 times last year alone shows what, constraint. Not saying either Turkey or Russia are good guys, both countries have a lot to answer for and not just in this instance, but before anyone defends Turkey's actions google search 'Turkey supplying terrorists'. Unfortunately NATO have no choice but to support Turkey, anything else would show a weakened Alliance and like a weakened fence it would soon break and Turkey is the weak link in NATO'S fence.

What if a RAF or any other NATO a/c had a faulty IFF, it's was the reluctance of Turkey to visually identify the a/c when they said themselves they didn't know what they were targeting before shooting it down. They now say if they knew it was Russian they wouldn't have shot it down, yeah right!! if they were that bothered they would've got positive identification first.

Everytime we send our QRA a/c up to intercept the Russians on their many incursions into UK airspace do we go in all shooting and dancing, no!!

http://www.euronews.com/2015/01/30/only ... ys-source/

[rva65]

As far as I am aware no Russian aircraft have ever entered UK airspace, and they probably have'nt actually ever tried, but on the other hand, the 'West' have entered Soviet, and Russian airspace at will, and everybody else's!

[Thunder]

It's happened, you just don't hear about it because we prefer the diplomacy route.

[22A]

One news channel stated this was the first time for many years a NATO nation had shot down a Russian aircraft.
USAF shot down a MiG 23 over Belgium in the 1980's. But that wasn't hostile, the pilot had banged out and then the aircraft headed West. It was shot down to prevent it crashing in a built up area. Sadly it fell on a farm house killing a 19 year old civilian. Before that we have to go back to the Korean War.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/che ... s-in-1952/

How many NATO aircraft have we lost though going the other way? The U2 in 1960 is the obvious one. Here's a link about the 13 Sqn Canberra shot down over Syria in 1956.
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=0wW ... wn&f=false

[Trenchard]

The MiG 23 wasn't shot down, it was escorted by two 32 TFS F15's and eventually ran out of fuel

[rva65]

not forgetting the Lincoln shot down with the loss of the crew, which many moons ago was on a Navigation training flight and inadvertently entered Soviet airspace outside the Allied corridor near or over Berlin, they were quickly intercepted and fired upon, apparently the Soviet leadership in Moscow expressed their regret! and also in the 50's an incident where a MiG-15 entered West German airspace, proceeded to shoot down a USAF multi-engine recce type, either a B-47 or an RB-50, forget which? and promptly flew back to the 'safety' of Soviet East Germany!

[the concerned]

Didn't we recently have a incident where a Russian fighter performed dangerous maneuvers near a US aircraft in the Baltics it all points to a lack of discipline

[T_J]

The Russians are now flying their Su-34s in Syria equipped with R-27 (AA-10) and R-73 (AA-11) air-to-air missiles.

Russian Su-34 bombers, additionally equipped with air-to-air missiles, have set out on their first mission in Syria, said Igor Klimov, spokesman for the Russian Air Force.

“Today, Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers have made their first sortie equipped not only with high explosive aviation bombs and hollow charge bombs, but also with short- and medium-range air-to-air missiles," Klimov said.

https://www.rt.com/news/323992-russia-s ... r-missile/

[planesonthenet]

13:00
Unconfirmed reports appearing on Twitter relating to the loss of 2 RUAF helicopters near Lattakia. Sources are are quoting 2 tail numbers.

14:35
reports appearing saying reports of 2 helos shot down are false.

[22A]

Surprise! Israel's joined in.

https://uk.news.yaho...-055810992.html

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly acknowledged that his country's forces are involved in war-hit Syria, mainly to ward off the Hezbollah. Israel has been blamed for recent strikes on alleged Iranian arms transfers from Syria intended for the Lebanese Shia movement.
"We occasionally carry out operations in Syria to prevent that country from becoming a front against us. We also do everything to prevent weapons, particularly lethal ones, being moved from Syria to Lebanon," said Netanyahu, but did not provide any details of the operations.
Israel last engaged Hezbollah in an intense month-long battle in 2006. The country's leaders have repeatedly said they would not let the group obtain weapons. However, they have largely remained silent on specific strikes.
Netanyahu's comments came in the wake of Israel and Russia sealing a deal to coordinate operations of the two air forces in order to avoid incidents such as the recent downing of a Russian jet over the Turkey-Syria border.

[lowlevelRAF]

Talk in the on going debate, on BBC news, they have advised if the vote is 'yes' to back UK action over Syria. 2x Tornado's and 6x Typhoons will be sent? Wonder which Tiffie unit will be off, Lossie unit?

[Blackcat1]

Time to shine Typhoon , about time!!

[armra1972]

As an insider I can report that Typhoons will be sent to perform some particularly tight turns and impressive synchro routines with old prop aircraft before returning to base and being broke for a week.........you heard it here first

[22A]

OK, so listening to this evening's news, it looks as though by tomorrow morning, the RAF will have been in action over Syria.
1; Will we decide where to strike, or will we consult the Government of Syria about targetting?
2. If target areas are known, why aren't the French, Russians and other hitting them already?
3. If precise targets are known, why risk aircrew? A submarine launched missile with a high explosive rather than nuclear war head can do the same job.

As an aside, since late afternoon, low flying military aircraft have been passing over Peterborough. Is a station conducting a night flying exercise, or are the RAF already despatching a/c to the Med?

[reheat]

OK, so listening to this evening's news, it looks as though by tomorrow morning, the RAF will have been in action over Syria.
1; Will we decide where to strike, or will we consult the Government of Syria about targetting?
2. If target areas are known, why aren't the French, Russians and other hitting them already?
3. If precise targets are known, why risk aircrew? A submarine launched missile with a high explosive rather than nuclear war head can do the same job.

As an aside, since late afternoon, low flying military aircraft have been passing over Peterborough. Is a station conducting a night flying exercise, or are the RAF already despatching a/c to the Med?

I believe Coningsby and possibly Lakenheath are night flying this week, so these are probably your night flyers, not connected with Syria.

We will decide where to strike, as part of a NATO coalition.Each Air Force has different aircraft with different armament capabilities, and would be used for specific targets.

Mark one eyeballs on targets are always better than shoot and forget, like drones.

[plmc135]

Talk in the on going debate, on BBC news, they have advised if the vote is 'yes' to back UK action over Syria. 2x Tornado's and 6x Typhoons will be sent? Wonder which Tiffie unit will be off, Lossie unit?

Was mentioned this morning that the six Typhoons would be coming from Lossiemouth.

Paul

[Barnsley Spotter]

So what to monitor?

[reheat]

Monitor?

[Cornish-guy]

Could get very very nasty if a brit jet downs a Russian one by accident I don't think it will be a simple "sorry mate didn't know who you were" - "don't worry about it very naughty of you but never mind"

C.