Posted on 12/14/2017 11:10:38 AM PST by Red Badger
A pair of U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighters fired flares to chase two Russian Su-25 fighter jets out of restricted airspace over Syria on Wednesday, a Pentagon official confirmed Thursday.
The aerial encounter occurred when the Russian jets strayed into airspace east of the Euphrates River, putting them on the wrong side of a "deconfliction zone" established between Moscow and Washington to avoid confrontation in the skies over Syria.
The Russian jets immediately left the area after the intercept and warning flares from the F-22s, an official confirmed to the Washington Examiner.
The Pentagon could not provide an account of how many or how often Russian violations of the deconfliction zone occur.
The Russian jets immediately left the area after the intercept and warning flares from the F-22s, an official confirmed. (U.S. Air Force photo/Justin Connaher)
Ping.
Quite a contrast from the Obola administration’s SOP response.
This makes no sense. Flares are a missle countermeasure ejected behind the aircraft; not an offensive weapon.
It was just for show, “I see you!”.........................
Sounds like we should load up all planes with those ‘warning flares’. No need for missiles or bombs, just use flares and the enemy runs away.
The article implies that the flares were being used as a visual warning.
Obama SOP:
Run away! Run away! Run away!.................
Thats not an F22.
Looks like F35, USAF out of AK.
I know where you can buy magnesium flares...cheap!
Run away and give up strategic territory to our enemies.
That is an F-22.
Their pic, not mine.................
Makes you wonder if it was the US planes that were on the ‘wrong side’ and when they noticed they were ‘target locked’ they launched their flares and got the heck out of there.
You pic is correct. Just look at the dual vectored thrust nozzles. The F-35 has a single nozzle.
Why couldn’t they just honk their horn or flash their headlights ?
The article implies that the flares were being used as a visual warning.
Could be, but they’re going to “see” each other well beyond visual range on radar.
They used the stealth headlights, man.
You might want to brush up on your plane-spotting skills. Besides the dual vectored thrust nozzles which is a dead giveaway that the plane is an F-22, the F-35 isn’t scheduled to arrive at Eielson AFB until 2020, so there are no AK-tailed F-35s yet.
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.