The United States Air Force gave the Russians a hard time when one of their planes flew an intricate path near one of the country’s military bases.
The pilots of an KC-135 Stratotanker jet refueler pranked Russian radar operators by doing a fly by near their stronghold in Tartus, Syria. It’s unclear if the ballsy move in the Mediterranean was their sole mission, or a detour on the way to refuel fighter jets.
The maneuver might have been long awaited revenge for when a Russian aircraft deliberately flew within feet of three US Navy planes traveling through international airspace in the same area.
A Pentagon spokesman said such “interactions” could “lead to more dangerous outcomes” if any of the pilots miscalculate or make a mistake during such a close encounter. The incident occurred eight months ago, just days before Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine.
The internet was either delighted or incensed by the US Military’s brazen display. “Some cocky pilots,” one person remarked.
“Were they……..inverted?” Another cracked. “Guess where they’d like to be Putin it,” somebody added.
Woke Twitter was not amused by the aerial antics, which they believed both harmed the environment and wasted money.
“Can someone calculate the carbon emissions for this? Because the people cheering it on are the same people panicking about the climate,” wrote a keyboard environmentalist.
“As long as my tax dollars are trolling Russia…hilarious!!!” A user posted. “Let’s send another $30 billion to Ukraine,” somebody retorted.
“That’s not ‘mocking Russia’, they’re mocking American taxpayers,” someone added. “That childish prank is a waste of our hard-earned money. We could’ve used that money to buy food for our families.”
Others called for the pilots to be punished for their manhood-shaped mischief. “That pilot should be grounded and there should be an investigation into the incident. These guys have flight plans,” wrote Regressive Jerk.
“They receive orders pre-flight,” they added. “There should be zero tolerance for jackassery by pilots, especially when flying near enemy positions.”
It’s likely the Navy won’t tolerate the aerial d–k detour without issuing disciplinary action. Two unidentified lieutenants from Electronic Attack Squadron 130 were reprimanded by the Field Naval Aviator Evaluation Board in 2017, after they drew an inappropriate shape with their white vapor trails over Washington State, and residents filed complaints.
Military pilots aren’t the only ones with bizarre punchlines. The Ever Given, the mega container ship that got stuck in the Suez Canal in March 2021, sailed a route along the Red Sea that appeared to resemble an extremely racy shape, prior to getting lodged sideways and holding up maritime traffic for nearly a week.