Re: Interesting - Ukraine Missiles Use Open Source, Russians Use Pi-4s

On Mon, 20 Jul 2026 19:29:09 -0000 (UTC), Rich wrote:

> https://www.flyajetfighter.com/the-real-range-of-modern-fighter-planes/
> looks to indicate that 1000mi (1600km) starts to put a number of
> warplanes at a point where they have limited engagement possibilites
> unless they start out carrying extra tanks, which mean less ordinance,
> before they would have to return to refuel, or return to an air tanker
> to refuel -- but then the air tanker must be kept beyond harms way,
> because it makes an especially juicy target as taking it out reduces a
> lot of the attack capability of the war planes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
List_of_aviation_shootdowns_and_accidents_during_the_2026_Iran_war

I don't know to what extent they were specifically targets but KC-135s are 
the second most popular things to destroy after Reapers. Reportedly 2 were 
an own goal.

I take the list cum grano salis. I blame my cynicism on early influences. 
I was quite young when my grandmother listened to the radio while doing 
housework but I can recall the breathless reporting of how many MiGs had 
been shot down that day in MiG Alley. I wasn't entirely sure what a 'mig' 
was but I think the US shot down more MiG-15s than were ever made at the 
time. The NK bag for the day wasn't mentioned.

I was more aware when the reports said we were winning bigly in Vietnam 
until we weren't.  I've lost count of how many times we've put Iran in its 
place.