Cyprus-Forum.com

[-mikkie2-]

It is relevant because that treaty defined the borders between greece and turkey and from that sea rights and air space.

[detailer]

It is relevant because that treaty defined the borders between greece and turkey and from that sea rights and air space.

There are obviously some unclear points in the treaty and I think the treaty says Greece can not place any military in the islands. Doesn't it?

[Realist]

Incroaching on another country's airspace is a violation of international law. If the military incurssions were land based it would be called an invasion. You need to ask yourself what message are they trying to put across when they carry out these flights.

I seem to remember China shooting a U.S. spy plane down for just straying over the border.

Now without going into the details of airspace law, let's just say Turkey isn't doing itself any favours when from the one hand it says she's ready to join the EU and from the other hand cant stop breaking basic international law.

[erolz]

I seem to remember China shooting a U.S. spy plane down for just straying over the border.

The whole point of a spy plane is to fly over other peoples territory. You do not need a spy plane to monitor your own territory - there are better and cheaper and more effective ways to do that in your own territory.

[JustAnAmerican]

I seem to remember China shooting a U.S. spy plane down for just straying over the border.

The whole point of a spy plane is to fly over other peoples territory. You do not need a spy plane to monitor your own territory - there are better and cheaper and more effective ways to do that in your own territory.

Good Answer Erolz!
You understand the intrusions perfectly. I would be more concerned with Turkish fishing vessels and the like near air bases and around ground bases than the plane intrusions.

The P-3 Spy plane shoot down near Chinese airspace was not an actual attempt to shoot down the US plane. In a thundering and a lightening rainstorm, the Chinese fighter, fired flares first, and then moved in to do a very close fly by. The US pilot an experienced guy, unknowingly moved into the flight path of the Chinese fighter. The planes collided. The fighter broke up and exploded. The Chinese fighter pilot died. The US plane lost a propeller and part of the wing. They needed to find a landing zone. The US pilot, decided to turn the plane around and land the plane on a Chinese MILITARY BASE!! An action we are still shaking our heads at!

He should have just flown the damaged plane out to sea. Let everyone bail out and wait in a life raft until the Navy arrived. This would let the salty seawater take care of equipment and plane, until the SEALS arrive to secure it further. Instead he landed, the Chinese took a look at all of the equipment and they sat there interned for a few weeks.

The TURKISH Air Force intrusions are committed quite often and are designed to show Greek Air Force and Greek air defense radar reaction times. They enter the airspace and then wait for the Greek Radar stations and Air Force planes to scramble. As soon as they see a reaction on their on-board radar they turn around and head back to Turkey. No ill intentions, just not a neighborly practice.

This kind of thing happens all the time between Cuba and the US, Japan and North Korea, and Pakistan and India.

[cannedmoose]

JAA, you forgot to mention that it also allows Turkey to monitor the status of Greece's air-defence systems and see where any new installations are. By flying their aircraft into Greek airspace and forcing them to turn on every single radar system, they can pinpoint the exact location of all of them. Very handy one day if they ever felt the need to knock them all out in quick succession. As you said, India and Pakistan practice this regularly, just in case.

[JustAnAmerican]

[quote="cannedmoose"]JAA, you forgot to mention that it also allows Turkey to monitor the status of Greece's air-defence systems and see where any new installations are. By flying their aircraft into Greek airspace and forcing them to turn on every single radar system, they can pinpoint the exact location of all of them. quote]


You are exactly right! The Greek radar if floating in small ships, able to move, is a much better defense. This practice worked for Saddam, until of course you over run the mobile-site.