Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Royal Air Force Pilots Ordered To Shoot Down "Hostile" Russian Jets Over Syria
ZeroHedge.com ^ | 13OCT2016 | Tyler Durden

Posted on 10/16/2016 6:15:47 AM PDT by Jack Hydrazine

As the US officially enters the Yemen military campaign, the UK appears ready and willing to precipiate a catalytic event from which there is no going back. With relations between Russia and the West at post-Cold War lows and deteriorating fast, Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots have been given the go-ahead to shoot down Russian military jets when flying missions over Syria and Iraq, if they are endangered by them. The development comes with warnings that the UK and Russia are now "one step closer" to being at war, according to the Sunday Times.

While the RAF's Tornado pilots have been instructed to avoid contact with Russian aircraft while engaged in missions for Operation Shader, the codename for the RAF's anti-Isis work in Iraq and Syria, their aircraft have been armed with air-to-air missiles and the pilots have been given the green light to defend themselves if they are threatened by Russian pilots.

"The first thing a British pilot will do is to try to avoid a situation where an air-to-air attack is likely to occur — you avoid an area if there is Russian activity," an unidentified source from the UK's Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) told the Sunday Times. "But if a pilot is fired on or believes he is about to be fired on, he can defend himself. We now have a situation where a single pilot, irrespective of nationality, can have a strategic impact on future events."

Where things get tricky is the qualifier "if he believes he is about to be fired on" - since this makes open engagement a function of threat evaluation in real time during stressed conditions, the likelihood of an escalation that could result in two warplanes shooting at each other, just jumped significantly.

The RAF Tornados aircraft will be armed with heat-seeking Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missiles (Asraams, also called AIM-132 missiles), the IBT adds. These weapons, which cost £200,000 each, have a longer range than other air-to-air missiles, allowing RAF pilots to shoot down enemy aircraft without being targeted themselves.

Providing cover to the largely underreported, if substantial escalation, according to the Sunday Times report an appraisal carried out by UK defence officials said: "It took six days for Russia to strike any Isis targets at all. Their air strikes have included moderate opposition groups who have been fighting to defend their areas from Isis. Among the targets hit were three field hospitals." In the past 24 hours Russia's Defence Ministry said that it has continued its air strikes on IS positions in Hama, Idlib, Latakia and Raqqa. It reported that the attacks resulted in the "complete destruction" of "53 fortified areas and strong points with armament and military hardware", seven ammunition depots, four field camps of "terrorists", one command centre, and artillery and mortar batteries.

Russia has countered that US airstrikes have failed to make much of an impact on ISIS targets, and as reported last month, a "mistaken" strike by the US coalition forces killed over 60 Syrian soldiers in a move Russia accused of being a provocation to war.

The Sunday Times' report quoted a defence source as saying: "Up till now RAF Tornados have been equipped with 500lb satellite-guided bombs — there has been no or little air-to-air threat. But in the last week the situation has changed. We need to respond accordingly."

But another source of the original story summarized the severity of the situation best when he said that "we need to protect our pilots but at the same time we're taking a step closer to war. It will only take one plane to be shot down in an air-to-air battle and the whole landscape will change."


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Russia; Syria; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: gwot; raf; shootdown; ww3; yemen
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-56 last
To: trebb

“I didn’t think the Brits were that stupid.”

That’s what we’ll say AFTER WW3 concludes.


41 posted on 10/16/2016 7:31:46 AM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; We need a second party!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: TheNext

Bingo!


42 posted on 10/16/2016 7:33:05 AM PDT by Carthego delenda est
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: ameribbean expat
I disagree with him that what he calls "Oceana" [US, the British Common Wealth, Japan, and other maritime trading partners] is not a defensible "realm."

It is the part that is defensible. We are a sea-power, of necessity. We are not an Asian landpower, and have frittered away too much wealth, power, and prestige on trying to be one. Some things are beyond our reach.

43 posted on 10/16/2016 7:34:22 AM PDT by AndyJackson
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: kimtom

We are there to promote what was claimed to be the “Arab Spring” but which was really the ISIS Spring. Courtesy of Obozo and Hitlery.


44 posted on 10/16/2016 7:34:53 AM PDT by anton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: jjotto

And this changes the rush to WW3 how?


45 posted on 10/16/2016 7:41:39 AM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; We need a second party!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: USNBandit

Uh, yeah. The White House deployed Al-Queda and ISIS to attack Assad, so Russia is fighting Al-Queda and ISIS.

It’s hard to imagine even this White House trying to foment a bloody revolution using nuns.


46 posted on 10/16/2016 7:42:27 AM PDT by agere_contra (This White House is the Enemy of the World)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Jack Hydrazine
Of course not.

Folks, it's time for a miracle or to get going on your bucket lists.

Now, all the highly critical things that were at stake in this election have been bumped down to be listed under what is looking like WW3 being created by Obama, Hillary and the UK too.

So the line up is US and UK versus Russia, China, and Iran.

You may or may not know that Russia has moved nuke capable missiles to the Baltic and Lithuania and Poland are protesting. Most believe this is to keep NATO countries under threat.

47 posted on 10/16/2016 7:43:07 AM PDT by MarMema
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Jack Hydrazine
We now have a situation where a single pilot, irrespective of nationality, can have a strategic impact on future events."

A good muslim pilot can do this to support the chechens.

48 posted on 10/16/2016 7:45:46 AM PDT by MarMema
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jack Hydrazine
That’s what we’ll say AFTER WW3 concludes.

You may be right - bad enough that Obama and Hillary seem to want a 3rd WW, having the Brits get stupid defies what's left of logic.

49 posted on 10/16/2016 7:54:33 AM PDT by trebb (Where in the the hell has my country gone?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: Jack Hydrazine

The Syrian government needs to inform Britain that the days of the British Empire are over and that any Brit airplane caught within Syrian airspace will asked to leave immediately or, if the Brits don’t comply, will be shot down, either by an air-to-air missile or by a missile from an S300 battery.

Same language the Turks used regarding possible Russian aircraft straying into Turkish territory.


50 posted on 10/16/2016 7:57:15 AM PDT by RAldrich
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DesertRhino
The external downside to Assad is the relationship between his government and Iran, supporting Hezbollah against Israel. Removing Assad would most likely lead to a more protracted sectarian civil war, with both sides being made up of terror prone groups.

A more important and immediate issue is that we need to face facts in Syria. Putin cleaned our clocks, by putting his own forces into Syria. That takes away a lot of options. What we absolutely don't need is to get in a shooting war over Syria.

51 posted on 10/16/2016 8:01:40 AM PDT by USNBandit (Sarcasm engaged at all times)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: MarMema

This situation reminds of a song by Austrian ‘80s pop star,

Falco
“Cowboyz and Indianz”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdBSnRevfWE

Red Square White House
Heute rein und morgen raus
Hard times for the Soviets
Der baer ist los denn ohne Moos kein Stoss

‘Cause Uncle Sam is playing Space Cadet
Rosko Mandar Malitschek
But Sputnik is antique
Why glorify the SDI

At the Galaxy Pub they share a long drink up
Immer weiter auf der Leiter
Reach the sky
Cowboyz and Indianz

Russia and the USA
They’re the Cowboyz and Indianz of today yeah
Cowboyz and Indianz
Russia and the USA

They’re the Cowboyz and Indianz of today yeah
But listen Mr. President, not only Indianz are over here...
My Ronnie lies over the ocean
Gorbachov lies under the see

Doch was die Herren dort so treiben
Das erfahren wir entweder ganz -
Oder nie
Let the force be with you
When the Empire strikes
Wir cremen uns lieber ein
Denn ma Ende dieser Dichtung stehen die zwei Herren auf der Lichtung
Und sind dort ganz alleine
Cowboyz and Indianz
Russia and the USA
They’re the Cowboyz and Indianz of today yeah
Cowboyz and Indianz
Russia and the USA
They’re the Cowboyz and Indianz of today yeah
Daddy...you hear me?
They are shooting...

Translation:
http://www.falco-fr.com/index.php?lang=EN&mod=tran_lyrics&ac=one&idl=29


52 posted on 10/16/2016 8:22:48 AM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; We need a second party!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: MarMema

“You may or may not know that Russia has moved nuke capable missiles to the Baltic and Lithuania and Poland are protesting. Most believe this is to keep NATO countries under threat.”

Yes, the Ruskies moved nuke missiles to western Russia AFTER Obama and the Euro-peons decided to mass some troops and tanks in the Baltic countries. And after Obama had missile interceptors placed in Poland.


53 posted on 10/16/2016 8:24:25 AM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; We need a second party!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: ConservativeMind
"They are attacking Al Queda people with whom we have stupidly aligned ourselves."

Again, Traitorobama gives aid and comfort to the enemy, and Traitorcongress does ..................................................................................................... nothing

54 posted on 10/16/2016 8:36:07 AM PDT by Carl Vehse
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Jack Hydrazine
AFTER Obama and the Euro-peons decided to mass some troops and tanks in the Baltic countries.

Do you have more on this? Thanks.

55 posted on 10/16/2016 9:41:40 AM PDT by MarMema
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: MarMema

NATO sends troops to Poland, Baltic states to face off with Russia
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/2016/0709/NATO-sends-troops-to-Poland-Baltic-states-to-face-off-with-Russia

Nervous Baltics on war footing as NATO tries to deter Russia
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-nato-russia-idUSKCN0YZ0LW

US confirms it will place 250 tanks in eastern Europe to counter Russian threat
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/11693497/US-confirms-it-will-place-250-tanks-in-eastern-Europe-to-counter-Russian-threat.html

Plus eastern Europe - Poland.

United States missile defense complex in Poland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_missile_defense_complex_in_Poland

The United States missile defense complex in Poland, also called the European Interceptor Site (EIS), was a planned American missile defense base. It was intended to contain 10 silo-based interceptors: two-stage versions of the existing three-stage Ground Based Interceptors with Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicles that had a closing speed of about 7 km/s. The first planned complex was to be located near Redzikowo, Poland, forming a Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system in conjunction with a U.S. narrow-beam midcourse tracking and discrimination radar system located in Brdy, Czech Republic. EIS was cancelled in 2009 and subsequently replaced with a phased plan—the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System, which will include SM-3 Block IIA interceptors to be positioned in Poland from 2018.


56 posted on 10/16/2016 11:00:51 AM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; We need a second party!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-56 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson