Special Ed Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2163281/Turkish-fighter-jet-downed-Syria-Mediterranean-Sea-Turkey-promises-determined-response.html Turkey promised to respond 'determinedly' tonight after the Syrian military admitted shooting down a Turkish warplane over the Mediterranean Sea. Two Turkish pilots are still missing after their air force jet was downed by Syrian forces in an act which has escalated tensions between the neighbouring countries. Syria said it shot down the F4 phantom jet because it was flying 'over Syrian territorial waters'. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan today led a two-hour security meeting on the crisis. In a statement issued after the meeting, the government said it 'will determinedly take necessary steps' in response, without saying what they would be. It comes after the Syrian military confirmed it had brought down the plane over the eastern part of the sea, southwest of the Turkish province of Hatay, which borders Syria. 'Our air defences confronted a target that penetrated our air space over our territorial waters pre-afternoon on Friday and shot it down,' a statement by the military circulated on state media said. 'It turned out to be a Turkish military plane.' The incident threatens to worsen relations between the two countries, which have already become strained in recent months. Turkey has joined nations such as the US in saying that Syrian President Bashar Assad should step down because of the uprising in his country. Turkey also has set up refugee camps on its border for more than 32,000 Syrians who have fled the fighting. Erdogan confirmed that the plane went down some eight miles (13km) from the Syrian town of Latakia over the Mediterranean Sea. He said: 'Four of our gunboats and some Syrian gunboats are carrying out a joint search there.' A search and rescue operation was launched and Turkey's government has called an emergency security meeting. The jet had taken off from Erhac airport in the eastern province of Malatya shortly before all contact with the aircraft was lost. Turkey's military confirmed it lost contact with the aircraft over the sea close to the border with Syria. Lebanon's Hezbollah-owned Al-Manar television station claimed that Syrian security forces were responsible after a source told the TV channel that Syrian air defences shot down the Turkish military aircraft. - There's more but I didn't want to paste the entire article. Interesting developments though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobble Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Shot heard around the world?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brahma Bull Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 2012: here we come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliboy Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 This could be the act that escalates this thing into very dangerous territory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special Ed Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 I'm under the impression Syria has the right to defend their airspace? What kind of warning to the pilots is required I wonder. And seems likely that Turkey was sending those pilots in to ascertain details on the conflict. Went a little too far and got burnt. Time to invest in some stealth technology perhaps... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliboy Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Turkey is saying that the jet was only in Syrian airspace briefly and receive no warning at all. They say, normally there is a warning, then another warning, then you scramble fighters and force the jet down. And, it was only one unarmed jet. Worst case scenario. Turkey mixes it up with Syria. Russia comes in on the side of Syria, NATO comes in on the side of Turkey. Iran comes in on the side of Syria and Russia. Israel comes in on the side of Turkey and NATO. Things get real ugly. The fact that Russia has a naval base, thus a military presence in Syria, is what makes this so delicate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special Ed Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 Turkey is saying that the jet was only in Syrian airspace briefly and receive no warning at all. They say, normally there is a warning, then another warning, then you scramble fighters and force the jet down. And, it was only one unarmed jet. Worst case scenario. Turkey mixes it up with Syria. Russia comes in on the side of Syria, NATO comes in on the side of Turkey. Iran comes in on the side of Syria and Russia. Israel comes in on the side of Turkey and NATO. Things get real ugly. The fact that Russia has a naval base, thus a military presence in Syria, is what makes this so delicate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woot Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Well this isn't good... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliboy Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 I kind of doubt that Russia wants to mix it up with NATO. Not that they are weak but even Russia is smart enough to consider risk vrs reward. I'm sure Turkey wouldn't go into Syria without prior NATO approval. And NATO could always give Russia reassurances their naval base remains secure. This could also fan the resistance groups into a frenzy, thinking there's a chance to get others involved. If Im the FSA right now I'm loving this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nosaj Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 I'm not condoning what Syria did, but it is important to consider this: The plane was found 13km off the shore of Syria. A country's air space extends 12km beyond its land borders.A plane like the F4 could travel 1km in under 10 seconds, meaning that it could have very well been engaged in Syrian airspace before crashing.A sovereign nation has every right to use force to defend its territory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Turkey is saying that the jet was only in Syrian airspace briefly and receive no warning at all. They say, normally there is a warning, then another warning, then you scramble fighters and force the jet down. And, it was only one unarmed jet. Worst case scenario. Turkey mixes it up with Syria. Russia comes in on the side of Syria, NATO comes in on the side of Turkey. Iran comes in on the side of Syria and Russia. Israel comes in on the side of Turkey and NATO. Things get real ugly. The fact that Russia has a naval base, thus a military presence in Syria, is what makes this so delicate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamhuis Hip Check Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 countries still use f-4's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam13371337 Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 NATO up to their old tricks it seems... Trying to test out syrian air-defense capabilities.... Well they got their answer i guess.. Honestly do we even live in a democracy anymore?... I can find ALMOST NOBODY that is happy about canada's middle east war missions, yet they keep trying to jam more wars down our throats..... i am seriously starting to lose hope in the entire system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam13371337 Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 countries still use f-4's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special Ed Posted June 26, 2012 Author Share Posted June 26, 2012 NATO up to their old tricks it seems... Trying to test out syrian air-defense capabilities.... Well they got their answer i guess.. Honestly do we even live in a democracy anymore?... I can find ALMOST NOBODY that is happy about canada's middle east war missions, yet they keep trying to jam more wars down our throats..... i am seriously starting to lose hope in the entire system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake Doctor Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 The F4 Phantom did not stand a chance to the sophisticated Syrian Anti-Air Defence system. At least Nato now knows what it can expect if it encroaches on Syrian air space again. Too bad for the pilots who still have yet to be recoverd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Goose- Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 countries still use f-4's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 The F4 Phantom did not stand a chance to the sophisticated Syrian Anti-Air Defence system. At least Nato now knows what it can expect if it encroaches on Syrian air space again. Too bad for the pilots who still have yet to be recoverd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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