Thanks for pointing that out. I had no idea.

Odd. I know plenty of people think there are more aesthetically pleasing fighters out there (Flanker’s aren’t my favorite either-top 10 though), but none of them just hate the Flanker’s looks.

Little to none. There are some that thinks we should handle China (and Putin for that matter) like Reagan did with the Soviets. The best way to handle China is to economically entice them down other avenues.

Very true. That’s worldwide. Everyone sits on their hands and bad shit happens. If the US attempts to influence matters for the better, we’re told to mind our own business (those people love to forget that 90% we’re acting at the behest of a foreign friend asking for help) and things may or may not blow up in our face.

They really are gorgeous aircraft.

By terrorists you must mean the FSA, cause they sure aren’t doing much with ISIL. Red dots are airstrikes. Notice the distinct lack of them near Aleppo and Raqqa? Let me guess, just anti-Russian propaganda right?

That’s pretty good of you man. Some of their equipment looks a little worn but most of it still looks like it’s a unit that takes great pride in preventative maintenance. Combine that maintenance with being based in Europe (different pollution laws I’m sure) and I wonder how often they’ve got the maintenance folks…

They both look beat to hell. You know everytime their is a brief/debrief, and someone is using those those to illustrate something and breaks it, they gotta buy the squadron beer. Or in the case of this fine outfit, Jack Daniels.

Sorry Russia. On Halloween, this is scary for all the wrong reasons. Thoughts and prayers for the families and victims. Two hundred plus victims is a lot of family and friends having the worst day of their lives.

Given half an opportunity, id cuntpunt you into orbit. Shut the fuck up.

To expand on what Kyuusei already said:

I wouldn’t worry about it too much. We played this game with the Russians (and now Chinese) for decades. During periods when the US and Soviet Union were extremely unfriendly. Comparatively, we get along pretty well at the moment...Worst case scenario, nobody is gonna push the big red button just because we shot down…

“with one, which was upgraded to a D model,being displayed at the Smithsonian Air And Space Museum’s Udvar Hazy Center” .

It’s easy to arm-chair quarterback this thing but I’d bet there had been a million discussions about the ROE at this point. Most of them ending in “but If they’ve closed to X distance, are still acting aggressively, and you feel threatened....kill ‘em”.

“ My fellow aviators, NOT acquaintances, would probably say that counts as “slugging it out.”

“Traditional” CAS i completely agree that the A-10 is far superior. But the CAS that we’ve been applying to the battlefield for the past decade-plus has been performed just as well by rotary wing, other fighter bombers, and even strategic bombers.

“Infantryman I guess?”

By all means, educate me...

Don’t be ridiculous. I’m no expert, but I wore the uniform, and have dozens of family and close friends throughout most aspects of the DoD. I also have a history degree and research this stuff along with offering opinions and insight for a living. Call it what you will...

What? It was never ever meant to, nor is the current intent, to replace the F-22. It was always intended to complement the F-22, not replace it. The F-22 and F-35 are the modern F-15 and F-16. Or P-51 and P-47. Or Flanker and MiG-29. It’s our “high-low” approach.