I have to wonder what their ROEs are. Back in 2001, Wrong Way smacked into the the EP-3, forcing it to land. What would a Navy ship on the wrong end of an AShM launch be permitted to do other than activate its anti-missile systems, and put some distance between itself and the source of the ordnance?
The can kill the thing shooting at them. ROE does not mean all they can do is shoot at the missile.
“What would a Navy ship on the wrong end of an AShM launch be permitted to do other than activate its anti-missile systems, and put some distance between itself and the source of the ordnance?”
Any ship fired upon with modern ordnance in international waters would empty its tubes.
And within 20mins the cavalry will arrive.
Some stupid bastard will have started a war.
It wasn't "forced" to land. The dipshit pilot should have ditched it at sea, but chose to land it at an enemy base.