Bang up an airplane in the western air forces, you've probably flown your last mission. Bang it up in the eastern block, you get an award...
Russia's Ministry of Defence announced on Friday that it had given awards to the pilots who intercepted a US MQ-9 Reaper drone earlier in the week, resulting in it crashing into the Black Sea.
The pilots of the two Su-27 fighter jets were awarded the decorations by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu for preventing the Reaper from violating airspace that Russia says is restricted, according to the Russian ministry.
https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-mod-awards-su27-pilots-knocked-out-reaper-drone-2023-3Back in 2001 when a Chinese J-8 interceptor collided with a U.S. Navy P-3 while attempting a "Thump" maneuver and crashed into the sea, that pilot was also turned into a hero at home.
U.S. officials left China after two days of prickly talks as China prepared a hero's farewell for a fighter pilot missing after an April 1 mid-air collision with a U.S. spy plane.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/china-remembers-lost-pilot/One thing I found interesting while researching this....
About 30 seconds later, I found Wang Wei’s plane was rolling to the right side and plunging. The plane was out of control. Wang Wei requested to parachute. I replied: ‘Permission granted.’ Afterward, I lost contact with Wang Wei.”
So in China, even if your jet is mortally wounded, you have to ask "permission" to eject and save your life? jeezzz.....
https://theaviationgeekclub.com/when-a-us-navy-ep-3-collided-with-a-chinese-j-8-interceptor-the-hainan-incident-and-the-last-flight-of-lt-cdr-wang-wei/
What's the point of an open door policy if inside the open door sits a closed mind?
