A reusable bus for kinetic munitions is more plausible than a recoverable direct delivery system.

Where’s the outrage? Comparing MiG-21s from Vietnam era with Block 60 F-16s is nonsense but comparing not so old, more or less upgraded and relatively well maintained MiG-21s with some early or second hand F-16s is not that offensive, specially if one takes into account that small Air Forces are not going to enjoy more capabilities than the ones they have now, that are basically air policing against the propeller menace and peaceful protestors containment at home in the worst case scenario, even if the start flooding the sky with �ber stealth sixth generation aircrafts.

Beriev A-50 is an example of what we can expect from that MiG-31 successor.

Not sure what all this talk about Flankers, Fulcrums, etc. is about. If Rafale deal actually fell apart the program would shift to Typhoon as the other aircraft selected by IAF with comprehensive costings and proposals.

Rafale is a political choice so if the deal is dropped IAF would be forced to resort to current main suppliers, Sukhoi and MiG, if they want a new fighters to replace old ones unless politicians are able to forge a new deal with either EU or US that overcomes whatever problems they had with the French.

Gee whiz. Why is it when one reports something and just speculates as to what it represents that the post is taken as a personal position? I am neither a warmonger nor advocate for a conflict rather simply interested in what military moves might represent. Surely if there was a conflict I can imagine that US/SK + whomever else might be involved that taking out Yongbyon or reducing it to a non operating status. This is SPECULATION….

Sorry if I misunderstood your post.

Strictly speculating, wonder if any of the B-1’s would be armed with the Massive Ordnance Penetrator 30,000# bunker buster bombs to take out the North Korean nuclear site before it goes back into “production”. Don’t believe this weapon has been used yet and appears designed for deep underground work. Curiously should it be used against NK facilities it could be considered a test run for any future operations against Iranian facilities.
Seven Bones would likely be many more than would be employed in Foal Eagle. Again…prudent measures done quietly (good old CNN hasn’t picked up on this….yet!).

And what would the purpose of creating another Fukushima apart from unleashing panic among civilians from at least 5 countries at the slightest indication of fallout? Increase sales of Geiger counters as stimulus it’s not a realistic idea and anyway Yongbyon can’t go back into business unless the facilities are rebuilt and even starting today it is going to take months just to build a cooling tower.

It appears that CNN is just playing its role as semiofficial mouthpiece and since normal people has more things to worry about than to follow the seasonal pissing contest in Korea unless mayor news networks don’t publicize what Washington is telling them what they are doing. Some suffer KCTV’s grandiose broadcastings and others CNN’s Specials.

The very fact that the F-35 prices offered to Korea is 10% lower than the Israeli prices show the level of intensity in Korean competition, with Lockheed attempting to go even lower than this $10.8 billion figure. Lockheed and JSF office never tried to price compete like this before, meaning this is a real contest where anyone of three bidders can win, although the race appears to have tightened to that between Boeing and CASA at this point.

Lockheed knows that they can milk the South Korean cash cow in the future through other means like system upgrades or weapons integration, maybe hurting Boeing for the sake of it is also an incentive :dev2:.

Media coverage? Really? Is it me or the fatso has been providing the world wide media with enough entirely idiotic quotes to fill an entire encyclopedia?
Better, when the reaction is not apelative enough they invent new, more bombastic, threats, this at a rate of one by day.
And the fault is in the media?!!!

No, media loves feeding the troll and all sides have a steady supply of people regurgitating macho remarks. Not expecting North Korean televised grandiose statements when KBS is announcing that US invisible nuclear bombers are prepared to strike the North in case of war is quite naive, the problem is when that propaganda for internal consumption is sold as some type of realistic threat and fueled with more threats.

Hollow threats? Are we talking about the same chaps that have recently shelled Yeonpyeong and have been carrying nuclear tests?

Obviously those actions came out of the blue and had no relation with political games, right? North Korea is not the only to blame here since all parties also like to pull the rope in one way or another.

Oh, yes, American Administrations look for the Congress to provide guidance in external policy… Oh, no, wait…
Remember Bill “Cigar” Clinton sending the USS Independence and the USS Nimitz in a “good will” tour near Taiwan, did he consulted the Congress before issuing orders?
And did Bush Senior asked the Congress for guidance when Kuwait was invaded?
Etc…

I didn’t say that past administrations were much different.