[Spook86]

Just a little insight into some of the implications of the RC-135 incident, from someone who's been there.

[jwfiv]

Thanks for a look at the story between the lines.

[Daus]

If we suspected a REAL lauch (an attatck, not a test) was about to take place, wouldn't the plane's ROE be stronger? I can see running for cover if you think they are just testing, but what if you think the nutjobs might put one up for real?

[Sabertooth]

Another ping along those lines.

[newgeezer]

Doesn't "Behind the Headlines" clash with "Breaking News"?

;-)

[DoctorMichael]

Thanks for the learned input.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Looks like we're blind in one eye and can't see out of the other.

[Gritty]

The fact the NKs could pull this off so smoothly should give us some pause in our assuptions of their capabilities and intentions.

On the bright side, the fact they didn't shoot down the -135 shows they are being somewhat cautious about an incident which would undoubtedly have led immediately to war.

[riri]

Thanks. Posts like this are why I love Free Republic.

[TLBSHOW]

BTTT

[Steel Wolf]

Excellent post. I'd agree that this is very unusual. The North Koreans don't get a fraction of as much training in ground controlled intercepts as, say, other large Asian communist countries, and yet they pulled off a flawless intercept.

They have obviously been waiting for some time, and if the Cobra Ball has been flying in a discernable pattern, they likely were able to project in advance where it would be at a certain time. If the North Koreans haven't been agressively intercepting for the last 30 years, complacency may have set in on our side.

One way or another, seeing North Koreans on the wing must have freaked them out. I know people that see Chinese fighters on a regular basis, and they still find it a little unnerving. Seeing four DPRK Migs closing at full throttle must have been sheer terror.

[fly_navy]

as an old Navy Recce Dog (EP-3's, EA-3s) I'd say Spook86's analysis is right on. back when the Libyan's were giving us a hard time flying below the "Line of Death", we started flying with armed F-14 CAP at points on our track, and A-7's with AIM-9's flying along side. seems like time to revisit that tactic.

[finnman69]

That's a key point, because (as noted previously) RC-135 ROE for Korean missions are extremely stringent. At any sign of hostile intent, crews are supposed to terminate their mission and retrograde to "safe" airspace.

Maybe the boys at NSA are so worried over an upcoming launch that they don't want to bug out unless there is actual shooting.

[drjimmy]

It's also unusual for NK pilots to intercept a target more than 150 miles off their coast. Steeped in Soviet-style tactics, NK pilots require extensive assistance from ground controllers in finding their targets. That means lots of radio traffic and/or datalink signals between air and ground, normally detected by U.S. intelligence assets. Those signals, coupled with radar tracking, provide a "heads up" about NK intentions, and provide a warning for RC-135 crews.
One explanation for the lack of warning, of course, could be that the intercept took place less than 150 miles off the NK coast.

[Balata]

I agree, ROKAF F-16s or F-4s scrambled in defense of Cobra Ball should be an automatic option, which we need as a measured option to these types of shenannigans by NK. Fighter escorts OTOH would escalate the situation which is exactly what NK wants.

[Bill Davis FR]

bush should provide fighter escort for cobra ball near korea

[spodefly]

Thanks for the insight. This perspective is something that we would not get from the mainstream press. Glad FR has people knowledgable about the inside scoop.

[swarthyguy]

Excellent. Considered submitting it for publication?

[finnman69]

RC-135 Cobra Ball

[CyberAnt]

Thanks for the info - but I can bet there will NOT be any more "allied mistakes" ...??

[CyberAnt]

I have a second and third question ...??

What is your assessment of this little "incident" being a dry run to take down the aircraft - the same as the one in China - except they knew this aircraft was not the exact same kind ...??

But ... did they have to get a visual to be able to tell the difference ...??