"Russian jet collides with US drone over Black Sea"
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Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Seen any reports, not received any reports. Have you seen any? Can't hide such movements these days.
The same hold strut for those operating from the “stans” and elsewhere against Iran, Syria, Iraq etc.
Many years ago, watching on primary radar from 280SU in Cyprus Inwatched dozens of non-squawking daily flights through the Nicosia IFR of which they were oblivious. The day day they switched on their first primary radar they just abou had a heart attack and we spent many days on the phone explaining who controlled what.
The idea that those watching internet flight watch apps showing only those squeaking mode 3, 5 and ADSB have any idea of the numerous, probably dozens, of other aircraft, know what is going on is risible.
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Perhaps no such operations are taking place. Perhaps there are and those who know about them are rightly keeping their mouths shut. Whatever UK military personnel are doing I wish them every success, but I don't need to know about it and neither do you.
Secondly, UK Reaper ops are not secret - it's the RAF not the CIA. The MoD even invited Sky News and the BBC to Kuwait to film them during Shader, and were quite open about their role at that time.
But that said, I can't prove a negative about them not being used in or around Ukraine, so maybe those asserting they are there provide a shred of evidence and I'll shut up.
The idea that those watching internet flight watch apps showing only those squeaking mode 3, 5 and ADSB have any idea of the numerous, probably dozens, of other aircraft, know what is going on is risible
The idea that the locals who live near where UK Reapers are supposedly flying in and out of as they operate near Ukraine haven't once taken a photo and posted it online is risible.
Again though, UK Reaper ops are NOT secret. Heck, not even the USAF ops are secret - they're quite open as to where they're based in Europe.
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Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Not all US drones are owned by the USAF.
I wonder where the RQ-170s and RQ-180s are today…..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockhe...Q-170_Sentinel
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman_RQ-180
I wonder where the RQ-170s and RQ-180s are today…..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockhe...Q-170_Sentinel
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman_RQ-180
Both pilots have been given medals. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe...ne-2023-03-17/ The official story is that they intercepted it without hitting it. It crashed because the operator lost control.
You really have to admire the Russian Chuzpe...
Firstly, spotters tend not to 'keep their mouths shut'. They tend to take lots of photos which they then post online. Foreign spotters in particular have no qualms about UK opsec, why should they?
Secondly, UK Reaper ops are not secret - it's the RAF not the CIA. The MoD even invited Sky News and the BBC to Kuwait to film them during Shader, and were quite open about their role at that time.
But that said, I can't prove a negative about them not being used in or around Ukraine, so maybe those asserting they are there provide a shred of evidence and I'll shut up.
The idea that the locals who live near where UK Reapers are supposedly flying in and out of as they operate near Ukraine haven't once taken a photo and posted it online is risible.
Again though, UK Reaper ops are NOT secret. Heck, not even the USAF ops are secret - they're quite open as to where they're based in Europe.
Secondly, UK Reaper ops are not secret - it's the RAF not the CIA. The MoD even invited Sky News and the BBC to Kuwait to film them during Shader, and were quite open about their role at that time.
But that said, I can't prove a negative about them not being used in or around Ukraine, so maybe those asserting they are there provide a shred of evidence and I'll shut up.
The idea that the locals who live near where UK Reapers are supposedly flying in and out of as they operate near Ukraine haven't once taken a photo and posted it online is risible.
Again though, UK Reaper ops are NOT secret. Heck, not even the USAF ops are secret - they're quite open as to where they're based in Europe.
Secondly, as other posters have said, there are a plethora of remote airfields within range. How many spotters have been submitting reports from Akrotiri or Chania? At night?
Thirdly, if you think anyone is claiming the presence of
Or possibly not. You decide.
First you surely understand that there is a difference between publicity about a capability (in order to justify expense from the taxpayers funds and garner support for the national forces) and actual operational usage of the system?
Secondly, as other posters have said, there are a plethora of remote airfields within range. How many spotters have been submitting reports from Akrotiri or Chania? At night?
Thirdly, if you think anyone is claiming the presence ofRAF (MoD? GCHQ?) British-owned/operated Reapers around the Ukraine Theatre then you need to re-read the thread. All anyone is saying is that they could be operating, and will only announce their presence to you (by ADS-b, press release or demonstration to spotters in daylight) if it suits a strategic objective.
Or possibly not. You decide.
Secondly, as other posters have said, there are a plethora of remote airfields within range. How many spotters have been submitting reports from Akrotiri or Chania? At night?
Thirdly, if you think anyone is claiming the presence of
Or possibly not. You decide.
As to the rest, I'll shut up at the slightest scintila of evidence that this is the case.
Last edited by melmothtw; 18th Mar 2023 at 11:20.
Swapping an SU-27 for an MQ is probably a good deal for Russia, given the performance of their crew and planes in the theatre. Still, if you want to kill children in a building that is marked as having children in shelter, then Russia is your go to experts..
By "it", that'll be the ground crew that care, feed, and water the poor thing. The SU-27 only can look forward to being the recipient of vodka breath.
It's been quite a while since the USAF UAV community engaged in air-to-air fighting against Russian-built fast jets. In the 2002 example the AIM-92 fired from the Predator crossed the inbound path of the AA-6 fired from the MiG-25. The one who shot first (and with a considerably longer range) won the day, with the MiG-25 achieving the kill.
Time moves on and Reaper has replaced Predator and the AIM-9X replaced the gutless AIM-92 as the principle defensive missile. Belligerents being stupid does not, on its own, equal more forceful tactics or even lead to weapons carriage. If the RF was tempted to make a more deliberate effort to destroy another nation's military equipment, manned or not, the US would have the right to protect its assets. It was ever thus - nothing has changed.
Time moves on and Reaper has replaced Predator and the AIM-9X replaced the gutless AIM-92 as the principle defensive missile. Belligerents being stupid does not, on its own, equal more forceful tactics or even lead to weapons carriage. If the RF was tempted to make a more deliberate effort to destroy another nation's military equipment, manned or not, the US would have the right to protect its assets. It was ever thus - nothing has changed.
What would the rules of engagement be if the Russians tried to force one of our Reapers down without actually shooting at it?The thread drift to UK Reapers began with this reference to "our" Reapers being shot down by the Russians, so I don't need to reread the thread as someone clearly was claiming UK Reapers are operating around Ukraine.
"I'm not aware of any of our Reapers flying near Ukraine."
It was a hypothetical question, go with it. Or not.
Sometimes I do wonder if some people just want to start an argument for no reason.
Because a question was asked and I answered it. Go with my answer or don't. Agreed on the bit about starting an argument for no reason, though.
