North Korea Tried to Force Plane to Land?

[PornoDoggy]

http://nytimes.com/2003/03/08/internationa...sia/08KORE.html

WASHINGTON, March 7 — The North Korean fighter jets that intercepted an unarmed American spy plane over the Sea of Japan last weekend were trying to force the aircraft to land in North Korea and take its crew hostage, a senior defense official said today.

One of the four North Korean MIG's came within 50 feet of the American plane, an Air Force RC-135S Cobra Ball aircraft, and the pilot made internationally recognized hand signals to the American flight crew to follow him, presumably back to his home base, the official said.

The American crew members ignored the gesture commands, aborted the surveillance mission in international airspace about 150 miles off the North Korean coast, and returned safely to their home base at Kadena Air Base in Japan.
...
Pentagon officials have acknowledged they were caught off guard by the intercept on Saturday night — Sunday morning in Korea — and did not scramble American fighters during the 22 minutes the North Korean jets tailed the four-engine Air Force reconnaissance plane. North Korea's air force is so strapped for fuel and spare parts, its pilots fly only about 13 hours of training missions a year, and rarely stray from their home skies.

Hello? Helllll-o?? What kind of morons are running the show over there? How in the hell could they be caught off guard will all the bullshit that's been going on lately? It is the Air Force ... maybe it happened during Happy Hour at the club? :angry:

Yes, I know it's being reported in the horrible NY Times, but I spent a little time in the military, and I've been wondering why there had been no mention of a fighter scramble over this incident. Thank god the crew ignored them (which was somewhat dangerous to do) and came home safely. I sure as hell hope this woke some people up.



Last edited by PornoDoggy at Mar 7 2003, 11:23 PM