Dogfight Footage: F-14 Tomcat vs. Libyan MiG-23

Atilla60 · May 10, 2016, 01:00:45 PM

I don't know what NATO's ROE is today, but watching this video made me think about how dangerous a game Putin is playing in the Baltic- and the Black sea.

Great clip by the way.

JudgeDredd · May 10, 2016, 02:02:13 PM

Good find O0

JudgeDredd · May 10, 2016, 02:04:00 PM

Quote from: Atilla60 on May 10, 2016, 01:00:45 PM
I don't know what NATO's ROE is today, but watching this video made me think about how dangerous a game Putin is playing in the Baltic- and the Black sea.

Great clip by the way.

Not really. I'm pretty sure he knows NATO/EU/US are neutered. I imagine he'd love the chance to lose a fighter to the West.

Atilla60 · May 10, 2016, 02:43:23 PM

Quote from: JudgeDredd on May 10, 2016, 02:04:00 PM
Not really. I'm pretty sure he knows NATO/EU/US are neutered.

True, and a little bit unsettling too.

Quote from: JudgeDredd on May 10, 2016, 02:04:00 PM
I imagine he'd love the chance to lose a fighter to the West.

Provided we assume that he wants a confrontation with NATO then yes.
But I don't think that's the case. If he did he would have acted more aggressively when Turkey downed one of his jets over "Syria" not so long ago.

Then again, when it comes to Putin, who knows? Clearly he needs to play the strong man for the sake of domestic consumption. A downed MIG doesn't fit that narrative, so how far is he really willing to go?