[kittygilchrist]

Islamic State captures three jets - Middle East Israel News | Haaretz

This in Israel's online news. Curious how long it will take to get out on US media...
Sad to say I have no confidence US flyers in the area are receiving intel ahead of Israel's news media.

[kittygilchrist]

https://news.yahoo.com/islamic-state...094406157.html

Reuters reports US central command is unaware of IS flying over Syria....42 minutes ago...

[rubicon]

Manifest incompetence economy, foreign policy health epidemics

[Sandtrap328]

Originally Posted by rubicon

Manifest incompetence economy, foreign policy health epidemics

Don't sugarcoat it. Tell us how you really feel.

[Miles42]

Capturing a fighter jet and knowing how to actually fly it are two different things. I am thinking if they manage to get it off the ground anyu US pilot will quickly bring it back down.

[Chi-Town]

Manifest incompetence
Policy economy

We Didn't Start The Fire lyrics come to mind. (Sorry Billy Joel)

[kittygilchrist]

Ok, US television news Has the story now...maybe Central Command is watching....I feel better.

Miles, I think there are Iraqi Defectors in IS who are pilots...

[Chi-Town]

The question is how did Iraqi pilots do in Desert Storm? They are flying the same planes. We have the number one equipped and trained Air Force in the world. We're talking target practice.

[kittygilchrist]

How bout kamikazes?

[pivo]

Kitty you hit the nail on the head

[mtdjed]

You can't imagine how incredibly complex a military Aircraft is. There are requirements for aircraft fuels, oils etc for which you need access , as well a special tools, weapons. The computer systems need updates re targets etc. You need runways , maintenance mechanics and more. They might get them off the ground one time but they wouldn't be sustainable.

[gomoho]

Originally Posted by mtdjed

You can't imagine how incredibly complex a military Aircraft is. There are requirements for aircraft fuels, oils etc for which you need access , as well a special tools, weapons. The computer systems need updates re targets etc. You need runways , maintenance mechanics and more. They might get them off the ground one time but they wouldn't be sustainable.

They have an enormous amount of money which will buy anything as we all know.

[murray607]

Originally Posted by Chi-Town

The question is how did Iraqi pilots do in Desert Storm? They are flying the same planes. We have the number one equipped and trained Air Force in the world. We're talking target practice.

The planes ISIS has that were shown today on CNN are MiG 21 F7's. In the Gulf War Iraq began with 236 MiG 21's and only 115 survived the war, the numbers speak for themselves.
The MiG 21 F7 has a small (less than 45 minutes) take off to combat window because as their fuel is used the aircraft becomes unstable and the plane then becomes difficult to keep on level flight. let alone to engage in a dogfight.
They would be "taking a knife to a gunfight".
But, as Kitty says a fully fueled plane with full load of bombs would make one hell of an explosion if they used it as a Kamikazee.