Russian fleet sailing in to the North sea

[A_Van]

KAL902, KAL007 - shot down by interceptor aircraft, and this thread is about fleet ops(Navy).

MH 17 - shot down by Ukrainians (rebels or government, is yet unclear) like they "treated" SBI 1812 (shot in 2001 over Black Sea). But again, no fleet involved (ground-to-air missiles).

[Buster Hyman]

The thread is about fleet ops, but your response was to a general statement about Russia shooting airliners out of the sky. Ratio of 3 to 1 stands.

[Lonewolf_50]

The Cypriots are acting with caution. I'd say their caution is balanced with the concerns over both the shoot down of the Russian aircraft by the Turks not so long ago, and the MH 17 (a civilian airliner shot down, with the betting money being that it was a mistake) being very close in memory.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

[skua]

There is a lot of Russian money in Cyprus. Russia likes its money to talk - loudly.

[msbbarratt]

There is a lot of Russian money in Cyprus. Russia likes its money to talk - loudly.

Well, there was until the Cypriot government raided savings accounts as a way of staving off disaster during the financial crisis. Then it became, briefly, Cypriot money, and shortly afterwards it became lenders money.

[Lordflasheart]

NOTAM for Russian Navy Exercise (Training Flights and Rocket Test Firings) 10-15 November and 17-22 November 0500-2100 hrs.

Two six-day training blocks ? In a war zone ?? Are these guys complete green-horns just getting their first sea-legs or practising for an air show ? If they don’t go live on real targets inside Syria by day two of the first block, I’d send them all to the salt mines to earn their keep.

Black Sea Fleet Tug SB-5 went into Tartus, Syria a few days ago. She towed a barge from the Black Sea. I wonder if it is target barge for the exercise?

I would have thought one bomb would sink that barge if they hit it. I wonder if it’s to assist with Kuznetzov going alongside in Tartus for some R & R, or perhaps it's just a complete red herring ?

Or showing the flag, on the way to support the Russian rebels in the Crimea and eastern Ukraine, and solidify the general status quo up there in the Black Sea?

Indeed, not forgetting Moldova.

....................

[skua]

MSB - I was there last week. Boorish Russians everywhere and spending. Russian owned businesses v much in evidence.

[Wander00]

Russians everywhere in N Cyprus, and universally rude and offensive in my experience. Act like they own the place - maybe they do

[A_Van]

Russian criminal elements in Cyprus are kids and beggars as compared with those who happily reside in London and Cote d'Azur and are welcomed there as "serious businessmen" and "investors" "hiding themselves from a bloody Moscow regime". In reality they are trivial thieves. You'd better kick their ass's and let them enjoy the rest of their time behind the bars.

"Revenons a nos mutons", though. It has been officially announced in the Russian media that this group of vessels including aircraft onboard Kuznetsov are getting ready to strike terrorist groups that are concentrated around Aleppo. This is to prevent them help those already encircled in the city.

Here is the URL (sorry, it's in Russian but it's not a problem any more today with online translation services):

http://www.rbc.ru/rbcfreenews/5821f9...?from=newsfeed

[Lordflasheart]

'revenons à nos moutons'

What the kind gentleman above said - confirmed in english -

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/2...-strike-syria/

Perhaps that NOTAM will need to be advanced to the 9th.

LFH

..............

[jolihokistix]

That'a the first time I have heard Daesh and Aleppo mentioned in the same context.

[flyhardmo]

That'a the first time I have heard Daesh and Aleppo mentioned in the same contex

Our media and governments call them moderate rebels. At one point they were even called Al-qaeda but a rebranding and marketing exercise change their name to Jabhat Fateh Al-Sham so we could give them more weapons.

[recceguy]

Originally Posted by flyhardmo

At one point they were even called Al-qaeda but a rebranding and marketing exercise change their name

Excellent summary, I'm with you !!

And BTW, now that the old crazy grandmother on pills is not going to lead in Washington - remember she called President Putin a "nazi" - maybe some constructive talks are going to take place instead of pure confrontation ?

[Lonewolf_50]

Originally Posted by recceguy

Excellent summary, I'm with you !!

And BTW, now that the old crazy grandmother on pills is not going to lead in Washington - remember she called President Putin a "nazi" - maybe some constructive talks are going to take place instead of pure confrontation ?

That remains to be seen. It will be interesting to see who Trump selects for his FP and military advisors, who is in the National Security Council, and who will be willing to work for him. That will inform how much American activity all over the globe will increase, decrease, or remain about the same, and particularly in the Eastern Med/Mid East. I am not convinced that Trump will want to increase defense spending. I suspect he's more along the lines of Ike's PoV that the strength of America is its economy, from which all other strength can be derived.

[Wander00]

Given the power of Republican Congress and Senate to block Obama, I have little doubt but that they will curb Trump's more extreme ideas

[A_Van]

Lonewolf,


You wrote: "I suspect he's more along the lines of Ike's PoV that the strength of America is its economy, from which all other strength can be derived."


I'd prefer to have such an approach implemented in "my campus" too.

[SWBKCB]

Russia ships 'chase away' Dutch submarine in Mediterranean - BBC News

[Heathrow Harry]

"wo six-day training blocks ? In a war zone ?? Are these guys complete green-horns just getting their first sea-legs or practising for an air show ? If they don’t go live on real targets inside Syria by day two of the first block, I’d send them all to the salt mines to earn their keep. "

as opposed to the USN and RN who normally plan to keep 30% of their ships in "training" following maintenance after 70+ years of operation????

[TEEEJ]

Landsat 8 image 8th November 2016 of Kuznetsov group..



Link to large image.

https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5683/3...537c6ec2_h.jpg

From

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pierre...e/30622201550/

[ImageGear]

Steaming? - That thing looks like it's on fire, gives away the position of all the escorts too.