Originally Posted by
LiveryMan
Except of course, UK airspace is not a zone of conflict.
In the future, please pay attention to the conversation before posting. That point about dangerous airspace was related
to the non-apples-to-apples line I responded to in re Malaysia airlines being shot down / Ukraine.
As to forcing the Russian plane to land, had it violated the airspace or not? Flying "close to UK airspace" is not a violation, it is at most a provocation. (And it is licit). Having the transponders off ... I'll agree that this is bad form.
Your chair borne ranger "force them to land" ploy will not fit with policy, nor with the general use of international airspace.
When I lived in Virginia while serving in the USN, in the 80's, the Air National Guard, and sometimes our active Air Force and Navy jets, would scramble on the weekends for non squawkers over international waters. Heh, one of our squadron helicopters was once scrambled upon by ANG F-16's off of the California Coast a decade later, while doing regular exercises with the ship, thanks to a FUBAR regarding Mode 4, which day, which way, and the ANG deciding to take a look.
No.
Big.
Deal.
Looks like the Typhoons did something similar, check out a non squawker.
Good job gents!
