Military AviationA forum for the professionals who fly military hardware. Also for the backroom boys and girls who support the flying and maintain the equipment, and without whom nothing would ever leave the ground. All armies, navies and air forces of the world equally welcome here.
I'd be surprised if the Reaper in this case was armed, but they do have A2A capability
With Ruzzia's interception of the buff, it is a nice thing to have an F-22 pair to pop up off the wing of the Russians while they are continuing their harrazzment of FONOPS of the Buffs. Same for around the Black Sea... Now, maybe that is considered to be provocative, but, you know, so was invading a sovereign neighbour that Ruzzia had half a dozen non aggression pacts with. It's about time Ruzzia had some boundary rules applied to their behaviour. They are the same as a 4-year old child, one that happens to have an ageing and decrepit stockpile of TNWs that have a high probability of having been maintained with the same contempt for tools as they have shown with their other military systems.
Putting some A2A self defence capability in the region (international airspace, they have the right of self defence against stupidity) would seem to be a nice thing too, along with operating a couple of MQ-9s with A2A in a tacform.
What is the probability that Vlad's Big Red Button still has copper wiring off the back of it that hasn't been stolen by Ruzzia's kleptocracy?
Self immolating tanks,
Generals that have forced suicide,
prisoners for soldiers,
An aircraft carrier trying to emulate the tank fire suppression systems above,
At least they can drink Putins Vodka brand, that'll make it all better... but what is the chance that Count Vlad hasn't added wood alcohol to even that?
