Unfortunately, there isn’t much of a military gamut between stern warnings and firing a weapon. One could argue that political action would have been a good intermediate step, but I think publicly Russia would have easily spun that narrative in their favor. Destroying that missile before it hit the aircraft would have…

It’s a matter of relativity. The cost of maintaining is nothing relative to the cost of the missile. You’re not breaking the bank if you load out with them for the day that the cameras crews are on base.

“They used a heat-seeking missile so as not to trigger any radar alerts.”

That’s akin to saying you shouldn’t drive your Mercedes because the Oil Changes are pricey. As is stated in the article; If there’s ever a time to make your aircraft look mean it’s when the cameras are there.

“They don’t have an Air Force” is never an excuse. Aircraft flying CAS missions in Afghanistan always had a pair of sidewinders at a minimum.

There were no air-to-air threats in Afghanistan, but you still didn’t takeoff without a pair of Sidewinders. That’s just standard procedure.

It doesn’t cost a thing if you don’t launch them (which they likely won’t have to). They’re already built, and keeping in storage doesn’t do anything.

Wait! The Game is a Pats fan!?!?!? Much respect!

We need an aircraft equivalent of a “shot across the bow”. Like a missile that bumps an aircraft.

Would like to add:

That’s why they can’t poll over 50% for a second bid for independence? That’s why the SNP controlled parliament has done NOTHING in the past year? The polls on independence TODAY are identical to what they were at the referendum. So much for a united Scotland.

I was implying that they had a few dozen guys unload on the building continuously to get 5,000 rounds spent. Think the lobby scene of the Matrix. My guess is that the bulk of those rounds were shot during one or two assaults.

The difference between a canine bred into a pet and a canine bred into an animal with its best traits. What a shame.

That’s insane! That’s like a grand in ammo.

That’s fascinating. I didn’t realize all the intricacies, but I did know our European counterparts had a different view of the breed than we did.

They’re synonymous in France and Belgium. The Malinois is seen as a variety of BSD along with the Tervuren, Groenendael, and Laekenois. I believe in the US we only consider the Groenendael as a BSD.

Right? I want to see that 10 min video. Just a dozen officers smoking their barrels. Each one with their own mag-mule. No way they had that many loaded mags, right?

My thoughts exactly. Wouldn’t mind taking a test ride on one.

While you’re analysis is sound, you forget that the transmission is also different.

The boilers were always the problem. They’re a pain to keep clean and running efficiently.