Provided both sides had the order not to start a new war, ie not to shoot first, it would at least have provided us with a good dogfighting scene
Under those "orders" would you feel safe starting out a dogfight with the "enemy" on your tail
ope
Also, even if no weapon is fired, a MIG29 pilot could still collide with the F-15, taking the concept of "RAM," to its extreme, while proving the MIG29 does have a very sophisticated concept of "RAM."
Besides, if no BVR missiles had been shot, MIG29s with R73s can be quite dangerous even for Israeli F15I with the latest Pythons.
cheers
The Israelis are definitely not letting much out about this one, even the people I know over there who can't avoid talking anytime (you just have to ask twice) are playing dumb & dumber. The main reasons that I understand the flights were taken, were looking at knew IRGC base in Syria where Shihab3s are now located, and to take a close look at the Syrian/Russian port. I haven't really read European Press reports bout this incident, but have larger papers/media that might "typically be liked in Israel" been "quieter" on this? I'm just wondering because, Europe now has a big problem with these missiles in Syria?
I don't think any SAMS were launched, Israel dropped fuel tanks (with Israeli markings--just answering the question of how any1 knows they were Israeli planes--to show those could have been large bombs (i.e. sending a message). Since they broke the sound barrier (hello, we're here, if your radar isn't working), before turning and heading back, then dropping their tanks in Syria, it seems to me a recon mission was first, followed by the message that they, "can fly over w/o a problem" giving Assad something to think about.
A little while after this, Israel pulled off crazy abductions in GAZA of a couple top Hamas leaders. This while people were all looking north.
IMO, Israel showing it has the ability to strike anywhere in the region and trying to reassert deterrence through strength.
What's ironic, is that Hamas has been firing some heavy US arms from Gaza (the arms, were forgotten behind by Fatah) Apaches and the likes have all had to change the ways they operate.
This includes civilian airliners which now have had to alter their landing pattern into Ben-Gurion, because of weapons both in Gaza and W.Bank and sophisticated Comm, which is being used to interfere with antiquated airline transmissions (there have been a few very close call because of interference in response or lack of one) from certain commercial aircraft. There are only a few airlines I'd consider flying in on (one of our domestic carriers must use rookies on that route:crazy ), otherwise I'd rather try to land at the old Kai-Tek in a mild hurricane.
