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Originally Posted by VRM
Chopper,
Did you miss the part where I pointed out that the Mig31E is capable of limited AWACS abilities?
Steve
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I didn't miss it. You saying it, as usual, doesn't make it true. You apparently have missed all of the reports on the Mig31 in which its capabilities are usually described as roughly 1982 technology:
http://www.jamestown.org/edm/article...cle_id=2372240
Your vaunted "limited AWACS capability" is a look-down, shoot down radar equivalent to that used by many of the USAF and USN F-4s of the Vietnam War era. Saying the Mig 31 has "limited AWACS capability" is like saying my Saturn station wagon has "limited Cobra capability." The Russians are presently cleaning up their old Mig31s, repainting them and selling them to any and all comers. It's akin to a garage sale, cleaning out the old stuff that's no good any more. Also, since delivery of these aircraft is relatively recent, no one with any common sense would expect the less-than-stellar Syrian pilots to have become even remotely proficient at using their limited capabilities in this short period of time. I'm not even sure the aircraft are in the Syrian operational inventory yet.
Have YOU ever heard of tactical jammers? They're not just for use against ground-based systems. For example, an established system that was originally designed for the A-6 Prowler is being upgraded and presently in use on the F/A-18 Growler:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita.../an-alq-99.htm
The Air Force has a variety of tactical airborne jammers for use on both tactical and strategic aircraft. Strategic aircraft are usually referred to as bombers, since you seem to know so little about the military. A short course in tactical jammers:
http://www.ausairpower.net/TE-Tacjammer.html
The primary Air Force tactical jammer is the An/ALQ-135:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...an-alq-135.htm
I don't know this for a fact, but I'd be willing to bet (again) large that this is the unit that the Israelis have, probably mounted on their F-15 Strike Eagle aircraft.
As far as not underestimating the Arab military, I think the last couple of major operations in the Middle East has accurately demonstrated their capabilities. Other than mass suicical assaults (Iranian tactics) and developing nuclear bombs through the help of their French, Russian and Korean buddies, they are really rather weak, which is why the terrorists are resorting to tying dynamite belts around the bellies of their own 6-year olds and planting IEDs in the roadside at night. One shouldn't underestimate his enemy, but one shouldn't overestimate him, either, which is what you are doing. Fortunately, the folks who actually understand military operations think quite differently than uninformed folk like you. Neither we nor the Israelis have any problem defeating our enemies militarily. It's countering the surrender-at-any-cost attitude of the domestic enemies that's our problem.
Keep plugging, General.
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