Typhoid

As noted, "it" has never stopped happening. Only the names of the victims and perpetrators change.

Hear hear

Tom Clancy had a pretty good novel with that as the premise

Back on the movie - right out of Top Gun!!!

I've been here 8 years?!!! Dropped in after picking up WOV for a little off time flight sims. Have enjoyed a little modding and light enjoyment after a long day. Changed from being a defense contractor working in NORAD ops to now a public figure and elected official. still getting used to that. My time is no longer my own...........

hang in there, my friend.

It is much cheaper to use contractors rather than regular forces for a lot of functions. With regular forces there is a lot of support and tail that come with them. For contractors, they are the support. They also don't come with pension liabilities and similar add on's. That cost is built into the contract. Contractors are used for a lot of support functions and can augment active duty forces. Full disclosure; I was a contractor for a couple of decades and the company I worked for , and the companies I competed against for task orders, provided direct support for military operations, support tasks, research and development (who do think provides all those cool toys you all play with?), and general support. Direct combat ops? No. Combat Service Support? Yes. The US hasn't been able to go to war without contractors for decades. That does not make us mercenaries.

Welcome back!!

fake

my two flights in the Skyhawk were the coolest, most fun flights ever. I really enjoy seeing one still flying. If I only had a couple of several million smacker$$ lying around....................

Ok, can we stop the trip down memory lane yet? http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/04/17/kerry-jews-in-ukrainian-city-told-to-register/ this is particularly ironic since the Putin propaganda machine has been accusing the Ukranian government of such, and now it turns out to be the pro-Russian antisemites themselves. I don't think any sentient person really wants to re-live where this is going.

Indeed. One very sharp lady!

depends on what they're used for. Contract security - yes. Intelligence support operations - yes. Active combat operations - no.

agree. Some forces into Poland and the Balkan states right away. Also put a NATO force into Western Ukraine (with Ukranian permission of course) to put that trip wire into place. in the entire history of the Cold War, neither side ever crossed a tripwire. (KAL-007 being the exception that proved the rule)

perhaps. There is a market for that which is currently being filled by several trainer/light attack aircraft. That will be a tough market though, IMHO.

instead of ejecting, he'll just go get a cup of coffee...................

and in that time, the Russians have continued to fly exercise runs with strategic assets against North America, have continued to overfly our ships at sea (and we have continued to overfly theirs), the Russians have "manuevered aggessively" against US, NATO and allied forces, and the Russians have been expanding their empire and spheres of influence for years, etc., etc., etc. They overflew one of our carriers with a full flight of Fencers not too many years ago. And, of course, we've both maintained alert forces capable of turning the northern hemisphere into a radioactive wasteland inside of 35 minutes. nothing ever really changed.

you are correct, Ironroad, precisely my earlier point. Standard ops at sea for and by alcon.

Is there something wrong with how you are wired together? Nowhere did I say anything about agreeing with Putin. I said he's got all the cards because no one in the west will stand up to him. That doesn't imply endorsement of his actions, doesn't advocate for his Imperial Rule, and certainly doesn't advocate General War over the Ukraine. There are a whole lot of things that we (all) could and should be doing. Of note, no one is really doing any of them. You, sir, need to adjust your medication.

yes and no. He's running a pretty thin bluff with not a lot of force behind him. But look he's running his bluff against. There is no will anywhere in the West to call the bluff. He does have an enormous economic advantage in that Europe runs largely on Russian natural gas. So on balance, Putin has all the cards.

just to put a few things in context. We both used to buzz each other's ships all the time. it's how the game is played. International waters mean just that. Likewise, international airspace means just that. Nothing all that unusual about it, other than the current level of tensions. But buzzing ships is rather common. Nothing new, no real big deal at all.

well..................... what we did way back when I was still in NORAD was combine fast movers with helo's. So USCG Helo's (with LE Authority) handle the slow movers inside a defense zone that needs that. No need for a new plane. We don't have the bucks for that.

I think the speculation above that it is for troop training/target practice is, ahem, on target. and they will then use the video of said target practice for propaganda films.

yea, 12 gauge. It's the best unless you are of a smaller frame.

I don't doubt the Turkish AF statement, but the pictures all look like file photos from a variety of events and a variety of aircraft.