US denies jet flew over Venezuela

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Kwicko:
We would enter their airspace to probe their air defenses, note locations of radars and SAM sites, and the like, especially if we thought we could get in and out quickly with minimal risk to the pilots and aircraft.

---

As JKiddo noted, you can do all that stuff without actualy entering restricted airspace. Besides, why would the U.S. need that info? I can see why the Dutch, for example, would like it, since they have the saber-rattling Pres. Chavez five or ten air minutes away from Aruba and Curacao.

"Keep the Shiny side up"

NOTIFY: Y  | REPLY  | REPLY WITH QUOTE  | PERMALINK  | TOP  | HOME

That info is needed because Venezuela is a powerful country in that region headed up by a belligerent dictator who talks openly of war with the US, the Dutch, and Colombia. Info on air defenses is the kind of thing you want BEFORE the opening of hosilities, not after.

Also, while flying in international airspace is still a good way to locate air defenses in the borderlands, it might be necessary to overfly the interior of the country to gain intel on targets there. as I said earlier, this is not a new technique, so most trained AA crews know not to turn on their individual targeting radars (the ones attached directly to the SAM site) until the last minute, so as to reduce the chance of being killed by any Wild Weasel aircraft in the area.


Thanks also BTW to whoever it was that mentioned ferret flights by name. I couldn't remember what these operations were called, but I knew it had something to do with a polecat

Mercy is the mark of a great man.
Guess I'm just a good man.
Well, I'm alright.

NOTIFY: N  | REPLY  | REPLY WITH QUOTE  | PERMALINK  | TOP  | HOME

Quote:

---

Originally posted by AG05:
That info is needed because Venezuela is a powerful country in that region headed up by a belligerent dictator who talks openly of war with the US, the Dutch, and Colombia. Info on air defenses is the kind of thing you want BEFORE the opening of hosilities, not after.

Also, while flying in international airspace is still a good way to locate air defenses in the borderlands, it might be necessary to overfly the interior of the country to gain intel on targets there. as I said earlier, this is not a new technique, so most trained AA crews know not to turn on their individual targeting radars (the ones attached directly to the SAM site) until the last minute, so as to reduce the chance of being killed by any Wild Weasel aircraft in the area.


Thanks also BTW to whoever it was that mentioned ferret flights by name. I couldn't remember what these operations were called, but I knew it had something to do with a polecat

Mercy is the mark of a great man.
Guess I'm just a good man.
Well, I'm alright.

---

Bingo. You can surveil via satellite all you want, you can know the general locations of AA batteries and SAM sites, but sometimes to better formulate your own battle plan, you really need to check their READINESS, and you want to know exactly what frequency they're using, how quickly they can light you up, etc., so you can figure out best-case scenarios for taking care of their defenses and lessening your own losses.

So, the "Why" of why we would do that is pretty definitively answered. What we HAVEN'T addressed yet is why we'd need that info. We know why we'd GET it, but we don't know why we'd NEED it in the first place. Unless we're laying out contingency plans for a strike of some sort, OR (and far more likely) we just want to use that knowledge as a negotiating point with Chavez. Let him think he's got us over a barrel on some negotiation, and then casually mention the locations of some of his more "secret" radar and SAM sites, and drop in the frequencies his crews are using, as well as a few choice radar intercepts, just to let him know that WE know what he's up to, and we've already taken that into consideration.

The most successful invasion or military strike is often the one you never have to launch, because you've convinced your opponent it's not in his best interest for you to do so.

Mike

Work is the curse of the Drinking Class.
- Oscar Wilde

NOTIFY: Y  | REPLY  | REPLY WITH QUOTE  | PERMALINK  | TOP  | HOME