neolex, don’t forget the half-dozen incidents lately of Rus backfire bombers buzzing US carriers on the high seas. They come across @ 2000′, yes escorted by US combat air patrols, but if they drop something and then get shot down, it’s one bomber for a large chunk of US naval force projection. Then the Rus pilot will, natch, turn out to’ve been a “rogue” angered at “the US’s ___________(fill in the blank)”. At what point does USN shoot first, 80 miles from the carrier? Now? Or after we lose a carrier?